There Is Joy in the Journey

Dizzy Fantastic and Her Flying Bicycle

2010-08-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

The kids at school call her "Chubby Debbie."

Her parents and teachers call her just plain "Debbie."

It isn't until she discovers she can fly atop her white Thunderstrike bicycle that Debbie Fine knows deep down inside she's "Dizzy Fantastic--Fourth-grade Superhero!"

Unfortunately, Debbie has a hard time getting anyone to believe it. Her parents are too busy running their ice cream shop, her brother just thinks she's annoying, and not even her imaginary twin sister thinks Debbie's anything special. Then again, only a fourth-grade superhero would be brave enough to befriend Mean Mr. Wilson and his rabid black Labrador, T-Rex.

Just as life starts to go Debbie's way, a terrible tragedy strikes that Dizzy Fantastic is powerless to stop, and Debbie has to figure out how to trust herself and her own abilities before she can save the day once more.

Andy Hueller's delightful debut is a story for anyone who's ever felt alone or misunderstood - or has ever dreamed of unlocking the superhero within.

"A happy, tumbling fantasy, complete with a flying bike that allows a heroic rescue...and an endearing cast of character. The humor is light and catches you off-guard...A fine debut novel that should keep the upper-elementary school crowd turning the pages."
-Donna Jo Napoli, Professor of Linguistics, Swarthmore College

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It's Good to Be Alive

2010-08-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Twenty-one years ago, 50-year-old Jack Rushton was boogie boarding at Laguna Beach with his family when he had an accident that instantly paralyzed him from the neck down. As Jack struggled to adjust to life in a wheelchair, he realized that he could reach out to people through his words. Through his observations, Jack has touched the lives of family, friends, and many others all over the world. It's Good to Be Alive contains the best of Jack's insights on topics such as spiritual paralysis, encouragement, death, and happiness. Funny, inspiring, and down-to-earth, this book will ultimately help you realize that it really is good to be alive.

order: IT'S GOOD TO BE ALIVE

Mormon Mishaps and Mischief

2010-08-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hilarious Stories for Saints

Ward meetings have never been so funny!

This collection of humorous anecdotes from celebrated LDS authors shows off Church members at their finest. From Primary pranks to cheeky comments made by Zion's youth to high priest hijinks, no age group is immune to the potential for humor.

Though it might not be in the official Word of Wisdom, laughter really is the best medicine. Whether you're a senior missionary or an eight-year-old graduating to senior Primary, you're bound to get a kick out of these sill stories.

Read about:

the preschooler who was afraid of being eaten is "Sunbeams"
establishing Zion in Cougar stadium
the "oddminition" of Paul
the 14th article of faith
doing battle with the "Laman Knights"
a Young Women outing that almost landed the class behind bars
and lots more!

Perfect for those long Sunday afternoons, Mormon Mishaps and Mischief will keep your family laughing all week long! Order your own copy on the Cedar Fort website.

TRUST IN THE LORD: Reflections of Jesus Christ

2010-07-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Many books teach readers about Christ;

this book helps readers know Christ.

A small pond sits at the bottom of the hill behind my home. One cold December night, I walked down to the pond alone. Wearing a coat and scarf, I paused at the edge of the pond, reluctant to mar the smooth snow on top of the ice with my boots. Eventually, though, I stepped onto the ice and looked up, wondering where God had been . . .

Trust in the Lord: Reflections of Jesus Christ is a powerful collection of personal essays about the Savior. Each essay brings unforgettable anecdotes and intriguing insights that will strengthen and encourage all who read them. Trust in the Lord conveys a sense of peace and calm that gently envelops its readers, building faith and healing wounds. Renowned scholar Deen Kemsley sets out to know Christ and experience His love in this sincere and personal book. Though the story is far from simple, his findings are clear: God is there, He hears your prayers, and He loves you.

Order your own copy of

TRUST IN THE LORD: REFLECTIONS OF JESUS CHRIST.

Could You Be An Angel Today?

2010-07-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

Your neighborhood angel, a Gladys by name,

Is truly the heavenly being to blame,

Her hours are frightful; her job's never done.

She's not had a single break. Now she wants one.

PLEASE, CAN'T YOU BE AN ANGEL TODAY?

When Gladys, a guardian angel, decides to take the day off, the head angel finds an unexpected replacement in a stay-at-home mom. Surprised that she would be asked to do an angel's work, this average mother accepts the role for just one day. With a list that's longer than her arm, will she find the time to finish all of the angel's tasks?

COULD YOU BE AN ANGEL TODAY? can be purchased online

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Lyrical Poetry

2010-07-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Quiet Heroes

The world is full of quiet heroes who never seek the praise

They're always back off in the shadows

They let us have the limelight days

For this you're the one that I look up to

Because of you I'm free

You set an example I could follow

You helped me see my destiny

So even though my thanks don't show

Unnoticed you will never go

I need to say I love you so

You're my hero

I've had my share of broken dreams

But you said I could win

You gave me the chance I always needed to start my dreams again

You took time to teach and tutor and show me rules to rise

You changed my fears to glory tears

You're an angel in disguise

I wouldn't be where I am today, I've won my share of times

Unless you coached me through the maze and pushed me on the hardest climbs

It's just your style, the extra mile, no glory must be tough

You let me have the accolades

A smile, you said, was just enough

DAN CLARK is the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, an internationally recognized speaker, a songwriter/recording artist, and a New York Times best selling author. Dan serves on the International Board of Governors of Operation Smile and on the National Advisory Board for OK Kids Charities.

In the last twenty-five years, Dan has spoken to more than4,000 audiences and to more that 3.5 million people in all fifty states and in thirty-five countries. "Achievers North America" and "Achievers Europe" named Dan one of the Top Ten Speakers in the World. In 2005 Dan was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame!

Dan is the primary contributing author to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and author of his own best selling books, including the highly acclaimed Forgotten Fundamentals - The Answers Are in the Box. Dan's story "Puppies For Sale" was made into a film starring Jack Lemmon at Paramount Studios. As a master storyteller, Dan has been published in more than 30 million books in 30 languages worldwide!

Check out Dan's website at www.danclarckspeak.com

Order LYRICAL POETRY on the Cedar Fort website

LOST CHILDREN - Coping with miscarriage for Latter-day Saints

2010-07-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Whether it happens to you or someone you love, there's no way to prepare for the overwhelming sense of loss that accompanies a miscarriage. But as Latter-day Saints, we know that Heavenly Father's plan offers solace, even in the face of adversity. Lost Children provides specific information about miscarriage and how it affects a person physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Rachelle J. Christensen draws on her own experiences with miscarriage and infertility to bring you a comforting guide that's perfect for anyone who's had to struggle through this trial. Strengthen your testimony of the eternal plan as you learn to find happiness in spite of trials and joy in spite of pain.

Rachelle was born and raised in a small farming town in Idaho. Her creativity developed easily in this rural area since she spent many years working in the fields with only a few weeds to distract her daydreaming. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in music. She also enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and - of course - reading.

Rachelle has created a special musical fireside based on Lost Children; you can visit her website, www.rachellechristensen.com, for information on how to schedule a presentation. You can also visit Rachelle at her blog; www.rachellewrites.blogspot.com.

I read through part of Lost Children, and Rachelle has written her experiences of miscarriage and infertility down so well - my heart was aching for her as I read her story. She has also included a lot of good information in the book, such as, giving clear definitions of common terms associated with miscarriage. I feel that this book is a great source of someone sharing their personal experience and it offers hope and inspiration to anyone who is going through these trials.

Order LOST CHILDREN online

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2373 W. 700 S. Springville, UT 84663

The Twelve-Week Challenge

2010-07-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

Prioritizing is the foundation of a gospel-centered life, but the hardest part is staying committed to your goals. Too many of us get overwhelmed by the daunting tasks we face each day, and then we feel like giving up.

Discover the fruits of diligence as you step up to the Twelve-Week Challenge. By setting simple weekly goals with a group of people whose values are similar to your own, and reporting your progress to each other weekly, you will develop the habits necessary to lay a foundation for true success.

The Twelve-Week Challenge will help you to:

Grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Improve your self-care.
Enrich your relationships.
Begin to discover and fulfill your life's purpose.
Become a better steward of your finances.
Discover the peace and joy that come from knowing that you are taking care of the most important things first.
Have fun and create lasting friendships.

The Twelve-Week Challenge will guide you down the pathway to eternal progression one step at a time, gradually revealing the keys to personal management and to a more fulfilling and provident lifestyle.

"After the first meeting I knew I needed this group. I was begging for the material. I was so glad I was invited to join. This program has helped me build a stronger foundation to place my busy life upon. I am stronger, more focused, and much more effective than I was a few months ago when I started. I have peace in my hectic life and have more lofty goals."

- M. Felsted

"The Twelve-Week Challenge helped me to become focused on the really important things. I made goals and had a clear idea of the areas I needed to work on, and I became more committed."

- S. Rogers

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SCRATCH & DENT OUTLET (75% OFF)

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The Twelve-Week Challenge (15% OFF)

Healing Secrets

2010-07-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

The things that will destroy us:

POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLE;
PLEASURE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE;
WEATH WITHOUT WORK;
KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT CHARACTER;
BUSINESS WITHOUT MORALITY;
SCIENCE WITHOUT HUMANITY;
WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE.
- Mahatma Gandhi

SOCIETY CONSTANTLY ENCOURAGES US to be self-orientated, but in the process we often become ensnared in the pursuit of power, money, and popularity, which leads to stunted emotional growth, dissatisfying relationships, and the inability to grow up. With so many things eager to take the place of love and harmony in your life, how can you identify the hidden dangers and false happiness of these destructive habits? Seasoned clinical psychotherapist Jade Chris Mangus offers solutions to resist the temptation of being self-oriented, including how to:

                o    Identify alienation in your life
                o    Fight disconnection from others
                o    Relate to family and community
                o    Apply to concept of sacrifice
                o    Develop charity and happiness

JADE CHRIS MANGUS guides you through the proven steps that overcome shame, pain, dread, and fear in your relationship with God, yourself, and others. Filled with true-to-life situations and invaluable tools, Healing Secrets: Self-Medicating Our Most Important Relationships will open the doors to help you heal emotionally.

“Jade Mangus listens to the stories we tell by the campfires of our lives, and we see—at the same instant that he sees—that we only ‘grow up’ as we learn hot to love and connect with one another."

-Larry W. Lewis, author of Receive Ye One Another

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Famous Family Nights

2010-07-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

Stories to make you smile, and inspire you to see the humor in our Monday night tradition from Mormons you know and love.

FAMILY NIGHT is a time for learning, fun, and refreshments.

Yet it can often be chaotic, troublesome, and noisy!

With so much to do and little time to do it in, you may feel overwhelmed when it comes to organizing a perfect family night. You are not alone! With stories that are sure to make you smile, Famous Family Nights will inspire your to see the humor and love in this familiar Monday night tradition. Award-winning screenwriter Anne Bradshaw has compiled an outstanding collection of stories from famous Mormon performers, artists, authors, and more, such as:

DAVID GLEN HATCH - international concert and recording artist
ALAN OSMOND - performer, singer, and author
JOSI KILPACK - author
SUSAN EASTON BLACK - BYU professor and lecturer
JAMES BRYAN LOYNES - international singer
SAM PAYNE - celebrated musician
RACHEL ANN NUNES - author
CAROL LYNN PEARSON - poet, author, and playwright
BRUCE SUMMERHAYS - renowned golfer
DIAN THOMAS - national TV personality
AND MANY MORE!

Each chapter is filled with significant insights, wonderful suggestions, and often laugh-out-loud moments. Touching and inspiring, the personal experiences in Famous Family Nights are a priceless tool for building strong, faith-centered families, despite the many obstacles of modern life.

"After reading the first few stories in this book I let out a sigh of relief and a chuckle as I realized my family really wasn't so dysfunctional when it came to family home evening experiences after all! This collection of stories is a 'must own' book, whether you are LDS or not. It provides wonderful ideas, and also helps us realize how important family time is to our children - whether they know it or now."

- George Dyer, International Opera Singer

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Finding the Diamond Within

2010-07-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's there inside us all. Sometimes it just needs some polishing.

Does it seem like happiness is just around the corner-all the time? Our modern race for the "have-it-all" finish line takes us on a trail far from a meaningful life. We end up in a craze, overeating, overscheduling, overpromising, and finally feeling totally overwhelmed. When was the last time you really felt fulfilled? There just aren't enough organic foods, saunas, or dark chocolates in the universe to satisfy us.

Take a deep breath and keep reading.

In Finding the Diamond Within, Mary Stosich outlines the true principles of joy and provides the remedy for the deep ache of seclusion and flat-lining selfishness. Happiness, love, and confidence are gifts that our loving Heavenly Father has made available to all of us. It is up to us to claim them. Happiness is not elusive - it's a way of living. By polishing 10 key facets of our lives, we reveal the diamond within us all, and then we're ready to sparkle!

With just the right touch of humor and wit, Mary Stosich shows the difference between cheap rhinestones and genuine diamonds, between the materialistic frills of the worlds and the things that bring true happiness. There's never been a better time to be reminded of the greatest gift of the gospel - joy!

I read this book at a time when I needed to slow down and contemplate the priorities and values of Christlike living. The words, almost poetic, brought laughter, tears, pondering, and most important, peace.

-Gretchen P Jensen, Former Miss USA

Finding the Diamond Within is 15% off here or at the Cedar Fort Scratch& Dent Warehouse 75% off.

Unlikely Truths of Motherhood

2010-07-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

I realize that monotony can create miracles.

So I will go through the motions with my baby

And we will dance

Through the pages

of our own story.

Feeding, burping, changing-sometimes motherhood is all about repetition! popular speaker Katie Van Dyke invites all women to consider the role of children in their lives. A mother of 7 children, Katie has learned that children can be exhilarating, exasperating, and enjoyable all at once. While the world looks at motherhood as holding women back from their potential, Katie reveals how motherhood draws women closer to their eternal potential and divine natures.

In Unlikely Truths of Motherhood, learn 4 truths that all mothers experience but may not recognize.:

THE MIRACLE OF SWEET MONOTONY

THE IMPORTANCE OF INDULGENT DENIAL

THE WONDER OF EXHILARATING EXHAUSTION

THE COMFORT OF NORMAL CHAOS

With refreshing honesty and openness, Katie Van Dyke shares personal stories and scriptures about the power of children in the lives of women. All mothers will enjoy Unlikely Truths of Motherhood as they discover that they need children just as much as children need them.

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Unlikely Truths of Motherhood!!!

Enjoying the Journey - Steps to Finding Joy Now

2010-07-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

As Latter-day Saints we strive for joy in eternal life - but many struggle to find joy during the journey there. Let this book help you learn to rejoice and find more joy right here, right now. Clearing away the clutter, staying in touch, and living with purpose are only a few of many tips this book provides to help you enjoy your journey through life. Specific steps in each chapter will guide you through important principles and help you apply them to your feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Reach for your full potential as a child of God and find the joy the Lord intends for each of us during our journey back to His presence. Jaime Theler, author of Parenting the Ephraim Child, has provided this delightful and heartwarming message for any who need a lift!

Review:

Life is full of trials and difficulties, yet we are promised that we will have joy in the eternities if we focus on being obedient and enduring to the end. That's a beautiful promise, but getting through the here and now is a daunting task. Why must we wait until the eternities before we can experience joy?

In the new LDS nonfiction book "Enjoying the Journey," authors Jaime Theler and Deborah Talmadge tell us that we don't have to wait. We can have joy now, even while we are living on this earth and experiencing our trials.

In the chapter "Resolve Your Identity Crisis," we read that as we come to earth, we all experience the need to know who we are. We are children of God, sent down to this strange and confusing place, but as we reconnect with our Heavenly Father, He shows us where we need to go. We then read about what it means to be a child of God and how very much indeed our Father loves us.

Another chapter I greatly enjoyed talks about our need to live on purpose, how we need to have a direction for our journey. We are here on a mortal probation, and we can't waste the time we've been given.

Other chapters are: "Stay in Touch," which reminds us of the importance of turning to our Heavenly Father in prayer, "You've Got to Be Nice," which emphasizes the need for charity in our lives, and "Protect the Home Front," which reinforces the vital role we play as parents and how our chief concern should be our homes and children.

This book, while very much a religious self-help book, is also down to earth and friendly. While reading, I felt like I was having a conversation with a good friend. Theler and Talmadge hit on a perfect balance between sharing gospel principles and conveying their concern for my well-being. I came away from this book feeling uplifted, inspired to keep moving forward, and with a greater appreciation for all the things with which I truly have been blessed.

Tristi Pinkston, www.families.com
Editorial Reviews

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Love and Logic Magic

2010-06-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Parenting little ones can be exhausting...until you discover Love and Logic. Take the exhaustion out and put the fun into parenting your little one.

If you want help with:

* Potty training

* Temper tantrums

* Bedtime

* Whining

* Time-out

* Hassle-free mornings

* and many other everyday challenges

Then this book is for you!

This book is the tool parents of little ones have been waiting for. America's Parenting Experts® Jim Fay and Charles Fay, Ph.D., help you start your child off on the right foot. The tools in Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood will give you the building blocks you need to create children who grow up to be responsible, successful teens and adults. And as a bonus you will enjoy every stage of your child's life and look forward to sharing a lifetime of joy with them.

It's Okay to Take a Nap

2010-06-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

If you are ever in need of a nap and can possibly squeeze one in, by all means, do so. And do so without guilt.

        I remember well the afternoon several years ago when I couldn't help but count the minutes until my husband was due home from work. It had been a tough day with the kids, and as much as I love them, I was ready for a break. When my husband walked in through the front door, I attempted to put on a good face - the one that says, "Welcome home and I hope your day has been as pleasant as ours." Instead, the grumpy, exhausted me let my dear husband have it when I surpirsed even myself by blurting out, "I'm going on vacation...I'll be back in fifteen minutes." I offered no explanation, just passed the baby off and headed to our bedroom, where I shut the door and leaned against the wall, sliding down into a crumpled heap on the floor.
      What next? I wondered. I wasn't sure, since I hadn't planned on taking this vacation. It was a short vacation, to be sure, but even so I was struggling to figure out how to spend the fifteen minuets I had so spontaneously seized. ..Motherhood doesn't have to mean being on duty 24/7 day after day, week after week, but I had allowed it to become just that, and now in my burned-out state, I realized that such an approach to motherhood isn't necessarily good for my kids of for me.
        Just when I was sure I wouldn't come up with a fully satisfying way to spend the remaining few minutes of my time-out, I remembered my former yoga instructor's wise counsel. She had advised her students to take a time-out, however short, every day to focus on the simple act of breathing in and breathing out without rushing and without becoming distracted by those never-ending but always demanding to-do lists. So I lay down on my back, closed my eyes, and breathed in and out, in and out, relaxing more and more with each succeeding breath. When my fifteen-minute retreat time ended, I walked out of the bedroom to rejoin my family. I felt noticeably refreshed and surprisingly ready to navigate through the busy evening ahead. We still had dinner to eat, soccer practices to attend, unfinished homework to complete, and bedtime routines to drive through, but I was sure not that I could do it.

She goes on to suggest that she prefers to begin and end her days gently. Getting up twenty minutes before her kids so she has time to get ready for the day, go for a walk, or just spend her time in quiet solitude. In the evening she likes to read something, reflect on what went well that day, or ask her husband to take care of the bedtime routine so she can have that personal time. She also suggests having the kids join in on quiet time, usually right after lunch. This way they learn play quietly, or to play by themselves. One idea: turn off the lights, light a candle, turn on some soothing music, and share some stretching time together. Make a list of five 15-minute retreats you could create to renew yourself when time permits. Write down on a piece of paper the reasons of why it's important for you to have regular downtime each day and put this paper on your mirror or somewhere you will see it often.

A celebration of motherhood, It's Okay to Take a Nap and Other Reassuring Truths for Mothers Everywhere illustrates the joys, struggles, and triumphs of being a mother. With reminders to moms of simple reassuring truths - like how you deserve a break and how you are a queen, not a maid - this book will strengthen and empower women while at the same time assuring them that their sacrifices to be a mother have not gone unnoticed.

Debra Sansing Woods is a full-time mom and part-time freelance writer. Her writing often focuses of and celebrates home and family life. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including LDS Living, Meridian magazine, two Deseret Book anthologies, the Dallas Morning News, the Athens Review, and others. She is also the author of Mothering with Spiritual Power: Book of Mormon Inspirations for Raising a Righteous Family.

Debra graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in accounting and went on to become a CPA and corporate controller. She also taught personal finance for the University of Texas Informal Classes. She currently lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Barry, and their five youngest children. Debra's family also includes her husband's three grown daughters.

Simply and beautifully written, this book is a wonderful gift for any mother.

Order It's Okay to Take a Nap!!

Simply Sane: Living Outside the Fast Lane

2010-06-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

In today’s competitive world, success is often defined as outsmarting, outpacing, and outdoing others. As victims of this be-all, do-all mentality, we become consumed with programs and projects, which leave us frazzled and frustrated.

Relentlessly vying for the ever-elusive role of superhero creates unnecessary stress and worry. Learn how to slow down, ease up, and cut back. While you may never be able to save all the starfish on the sandy beaches of your life, you can still be successful.

Debbie Bowen held this same view that she needed to do everything for everyone perfectly. That all changed when she discovered that she simply could not do it-she couldn’t save all the starfish on the beach. Changing her perspective took some time, but she gradually learned to slow down, let go, and go without and that has made all the difference.

Learn about three harmful myths that we often fall prey to, ways to simplify our lives from cleaning our houses to organizing holidays, and how to living outside the fast lane can bring greater peace to our hearts and our homes. It is a must read for anyone wanting a slower, more simple pace.

The author cuts right to the chase as she starts her book. Nothing fluffy about it – she is very honest about how in her own life, she was expecting too much of herself and trying to do too much. (Something I think we can all relate to.) The advice she gives in this small book is logical and easy, and will make all the difference in simplifying our lives.

Sometimes when my husband’s eighty-year-old grandmother was feeling pressured by the projects in her life that were going undone, she would arbitrarily dismiss them by saying, ‘In the end, it won’t matter anyway.’ And in the end, it didn’t!

Not everything worth doing is worth doing well, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing.

Sometimes good enough is good enough.

Get Simply Sane: Living Outside the Fast Lane!!

2011 Calendar

2010-06-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Cedar Fort, Inc. has some calendars that are new this month - which means it’s time to start planning ahead! There are three different ones to choose from:

101 Gourmet Cupcakes

Antique Temples

Wasatch Wildflowers

So start planning for 2011 with a new calendar!

King of the Grill

2010-06-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Father’s Day is fast approaching, so here are some tasty ideas everyone can make for Dad. The recipes are coming from www.familyfun.com

Show Dad how much you love him by giving him a King of the Grill dinner.

A Grate Gift for Dad, because he can never seem to get enough of grilled food goodness.

Share with me your quick and easy ways to treat Dad this year!

A Mother Just Like You

2010-06-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

This little poem was found online, it was written by two sons for their mother. It may not be mother's day, but here is a little tribute anyway!

A Mother Just Like You

I just want to let you know
You mean the world to me
Only a heart as dear as yours
Would give so unselfishly

The many things you've done
All the times that you were there
Help me know deep down inside
How much you really care

Even though I might not say
I appreciate all you do

Richly blessed is how I feel
Having a Mother just like you

Confessions of a Completely In*sane Mother

2010-04-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Cedar Fort has so many awesome 'mom' books. This one is just one of my fave's- sharing hilarious stories from a completely (in)sane mother! This is the perfect mothers day gift.

Overwhelmed? Stressed? Discouraged? You need the therapy that is in this book! Discover the power of laughter, perspective, and love when you read how one family works together to overcome their humorous daily problems.

Welcome to the world of Kersten Campbell! She's a mother of 5 children, a devoted wife, and an extremely enthusiastic homemaker. As she strives to have sanity in her crazy household, Campbell infuses her humor in every situation that she comes up against. Whether its her two-year-old creating a mushroom cloud of powdered milk in the kitchen or trying to sleep in a tent with five children on a campout, Campbell works with her family to overcome their problems and find laughter in all situations.

Humorist Kersten Campbell expertly writes on the escapades of daily life that any woman can relate to. With subjects ranging from zucchini crime to selling rocks to the neighbors, this book is sure to please any mother who is overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, bored, or ultimately happy.

Mothers and grandmothers everywhere will find therapy and comfort through the humor of these hilarious escapades.

Meet The Author:

Kersten Campbell grew up in Wisconsin until she turned sixteen, when her family moved to Boise, Idaho. When she protested the move, her father said, Don't worry, you'll probably find some nice Mormon boy to marry.

Confused, Kersten replied, What's a Mormon?

She soon found out and joined the LDS Church at age twenty-one. She earned a bachelor s degree from the University of Idaho in English Literature and has written many articles for Church publications and other magazines. When not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, family history research, playing the clarinet, and playing with children.

She and that nice Mormon boy live in Washington with their five beautiful children.

Want reviews?
Kersten is a new author and her foray into the humorous realms of motherhood are priceless. There is an absolutely hilarious tale of one of her daughters "flying" that just had me in stitches just visualizing the situation. Each of her lessons we can all learn from, even us grandmothers. We all can use a lot of humor in our everyday lives to get through all the stresses of raising our children. I had the opportunity of finishing this little book of wisdom while waiting to see my Oncologist yesterday and it was al I could do not to laugh out loud. This is a book to treasure for the insights Kersten has. I was wondering how she would handle her Primary lesson, bujt she did with grace.
-Forever Friends Rating 5 Stars by Teri

Review: When I first got "Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother" in the mail, I set it on the counter, thinking I'd start it after lunch. My daughter beat me to it, though, and had it the rest of the afternoon. She's an avid reader and it didn't surprise me too much that she'd latched onto it. Okay, I thought to myself, I'll read it tomorrow.

The next day came and I went in search of the book. This time my son had it, and wasn't about to give it up. This was a little more unusual. My son is a reluctant reader and it's been a chore to get him to read anything but "Captain Underpants." You can bet your boots I wasn't about to snatch away his new reading material of choice.

The day after that, I was in the kitchen making dinner when I heard uproarious laughter coming from the living room. I looked in and saw my husband sprawled out on the floor, reading the book, laughing so hard he had tears running down his face. All four of my children sat around him, listening as he read aloud the challenges of getting all one's children arranged for a family photo shoot. His stomach hurt from laughing by the end of the chapter.

That night at the dinner table, my children engaged in conversation.

Son #2. I think that author should write a sequel.

Son #1. Then it would be called, "Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother II."

Son #2. Or maybe it could be called "Confessions of a Completely Insane Father."

Daughter: But then her husband would have to write it, and I don't know if her husband writes books.

This morning, I went in search of the book (again), still waiting my chance to read it. Finally, I asked, "Kids, have you seen my book?"

"Oh, it's on my dresser," my daughter said. "I was reading it again last night."

At last, the book was in my hands!

And what did I think of it?

Pretty much all of the above. My children have good taste, and of course my husband does. He picked me, didn't he?
-Tristi Pinkston

If you like Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother, It's on sale for $4.99 right now! It's originally 15.99!!!! That's a 68% discount!

What a steal!

What's your favorite mom book?

Baby Names

2010-04-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting topic to discuss. Some people name their kids after family members, friends, restaurants, towns, celebrities, and so many more things. Some people just name their kids names they like. Maybe a name they wished theirs was. So, let's open this up for discussion.

What are the names in your family- siblings, kids, spouse?
Friends?
What's your favorite name?
Do you wish you had a different name?
What's your nickname?

I will answer them to get things going. First off, my name is Gillian. (sounds like Jillian.) My parents didn't name me after anyone I don't think. It was just a name they liked. They didn't like the name Jill, so they spelled it with a G with the hope that no one would call me Jill. Well, people still call me Jill. :) I like my full name better though.

I have a huge family- so here are the names. Oh- and the girls don't have middle names. They just use their maiden names. Just the boys have middle names.

My mom's name is Christina Teichert Clark
My dad's name is James Neil Clark

The siblings go as follows:

James Jason
Adam H.
Chelsey
Jess Thomas
Adrianne
Lance Allen
Lindsey
David Peter
Gillian (me)
Kaitlin
Ammon Andrew

I like my name and Adrianne's name and Ammon's name the best, because they are the most unique. :)

I don't have any kids, but when I do, I like the names Marlie, Chloe, Avorie, and London for girls. For boys, I like: Harrison, Emmerson, and Boston.

My friends all have pretty normal names. Ally, Alyssa, Brittney, Kilee, Eliza, and Camilla (which is probably the most different out of all of them.)

I don't wish I had a different name. I love mine.

My favorite name is probably mine. It's beautiful. And, I love London. :) It's classy.

What about you? How do you go about choosing names?

I am a Child Of God

2010-04-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

This story was sent in by Adrianne Richards. Check out her blogs at: The Richards Family & Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Call it mothers intuition, call it whatever you like, but when I was pregnant with Isaac, I just knew he wasn’t going to last in my body until my due date. Isaac’s pregnancy was different than the previous one and somehow I just knew.

It was early Sunday morning when I woke up to go to the bathroom. I felt normal, achy, tired, uncomfortable, but nothing would lead me to believe it was a different night than all the others. When I stood up from the toilet to wash my hands, there was a gush of fluid. I knew immediately that my water had broken and I called for my husband to tell him what had happened. He quickly and anxiously woke up and got dressed. I felt very calm and in charge. I told him to call the babysitters. While we waited for the babysitter my thoughts just rushed through my mind. “I’m having another baby. This wait is over.” It was four weeks until my due date, too early for the baby to come, but I couldn’t help but feel relieved it was almost over—no more misery. I went from moments of relief to moments of worry. What if his lungs weren’t developed yet? What if he wasn’t ok?

Labor was uneventful but painful. I was tired, having arrived at the hospital at 3:00 AM. Hours later it was time to push and after one hard push Isaac slipped from my body with no problems.

After the initial relief of delivering my precious baby, it occurred to me that everything was not right with him. He couldn’t breathe well on his own and required oxygen to assist him. Everything was a whirlwind. I watched from across the room, not even given the opportunity to hold him, while they tended to my women parts and tended to his care at the same time.

It seemed so rushed, loud, busy and then all of the sudden, just as quiet. Everyone had left the room leaving me and my new baby alone. Yet, the scene was not the imagined bliss of mother and son meeting for the first time, eyes locking in one peaceful moment where it seems nothing else matters but the two of you connecting your souls.

Instead, he was left lying under a heating lamp, flailing his arms, crying, wondering at the harsh new world he was being introduced to. I, on the other hand, was lying paralyzed in my bed, wondering where everyone had gone, including Mike, and why no one had given me a chance to hold my son yet.

I felt helpless. My heart ached to get out of my bed. All that separated us was a few steps and yet, I could not move. My legs were numb. I was hooked up to IV’s—a fluid drip and pitocin. My body had been stitched only seconds before, yet I longed to go to him and hold him close to me.

He continued to cry so I did all I could think of to do: I sang “I am a Child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear. Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday.” I had sung the song every night for the last nine months. It was the same song I sang to his big brother at bedtime and I always hoped this baby could hear and know that I was singing to him too.

As I began singing his crying stopped. The only sound in the room was me singing to him a special message about who he was. While I couldn’t hold him or be by his side, we communicated to each other in those few seconds. His silence communicated to me that he knew my voice and the home and Father he had just come from.

It has been almost four years since this precious experience but I think of that moment often. I felt through the Spirit as I sang that the words I was singing were true, that he is a child of God. Sometimes, when I am feeling overwhelmed and tired or annoyed at the shenanigans of my children, it is easy to forget that I am a steward of three precious children who are on loan to me from God. But then I remember the feeling I felt in that hospital room and know that I need to be more and that I need to treat them as more.

Even now, almost four years later my son and his brothers request the song I am a Child of God. They know the words by heart and sing them with me and my husband. I hope those words will sink deep into their hearts and that they will always call upon them when they need to remember who they belong to and where they came from.

Thanks Adrianne for sharing! It is a relief to know that we are children of God and that God trusts us to take care of his children.

Happy April Fools!

2010-04-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Happy April Fools! Can you believe it's April? Wow how time flies. It snowed here in Utah today. Great. Mother Nature was playing a joke on us. Hopefully tomorrow the joke will be over and the weather will be sunny and 80 degrees! (Not gonna happen..)

What are some April Fools pranks you have played on people? This morning my husband put saran wrap on our toilet.. but I caught on to it before I used it. Thank goodness! My older sister Lindsey's birthday is today. Every year on April Fools my mom would always play huge jokes on her.

One year, my mom set my sister's clock forward. At midnight, her alarm went off- and her clock said 6:30 AM. So, she got up, got in the shower, and got ready. After she finished getting ready she started looking around- and it was still dark. Everyone was still sleeping... so she went and checked all the other clocks and realized that it was midnight and that my mom had played a joke on her! She was so mad!

A few years later, my sister said she wanted a swim suit for her birthday. My mom went to D.I. (a thrift store here in Utah, incase you didn't know what it was) and bought her the ugliest swim suit she could find. She bought other clothes as well there- the worst ones she could find. She also went to a nice store and bought some brand new clothes and swim suit. She had planned to give my sister the clothes from D.I. first, and later in the day give her the nice things. Well, my sister opened them and cried. My mom said, "Lindsey, we are sorry but we just don't have any money right now and can't get you a new suit. We got the best one we could get." and my sister quietly went into her room and cried. forever. Haha. Later that day after she got home from school, my mom gave her the new clothes and then my sister felt bad that she had made such a big deal out of it! It was so funny. Every year we get to prank her and it never gets old!

So, what pranks do you do, or have you had done to you?

Conference is fast approaching

2010-03-30T10:46:00.000-07:00

General Conference is fast approaching! It's crazy how fast this last year has gone by. I can't believe it's already spring. Do any of you get to attend Conference? I have been before and I love going. There is something about being in the Conference center that makes it easier to feel the Spirit and listen. What do you think?

I found this cool website called Sugar Doodle that has TONS of fun ideas and activities for you to download. This week, they came out with a General Conference Packet for children and youth! It's amazing! Really, I love it. Here are some of the pages to give you an example of what they are like:

Doesn't that look fun? I think it will help your kids pay attention to the talks and learn from them as they get to fill out these fun conference booklets. They are FREE to download and totally worth it. Go to Sugar Doodle's Website to get the packets, and let me know how it goes!

Needing more mom stories...

2010-03-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am in need of some more mom stories for this blog. I have e-mailed many people and some of you have returned the e-mail with a story for me to post on here.

But, I still need more.

I can take anything from something funny your child said, to a trial you have gone through with parenting or memories from your childhood.

I think if we could get all the readers here to send in something every little while, we could have some good stories and discussions on here. What do you think?

If you would like to be a contributor of this blog, please e-mail me at: gmohlman@cedarfort.com.

Thanks again, I appreciate all of you. I love reading about you and your children. I love reading your memories and funny stories. I hope we can all share with each other the joy and love of parenting and life!

Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing by Kerstin Daynes- Event

2010-03-26T07:29:00.001-07:00

Kerstin Daynes, author of Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing has so exciting news to share! She now has a trailer for her book out on youtube. It's so great! I hope you all get a chance to watch it. I posted it below.

The blurb about the book says: After five years of tests, Kerstin Daynes had her worst fear confirmed: she was infertile. In this honest and reassuring handbook, Kerstin shares her own personal experiences facing infertility and offers insights that will help couples to heal emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Using timeless concepts and introducing unique perspectives, Kerstin gently and empathetically walks the reader through this life-changing process as she shows couples how to make their lives productive while facing their situation. Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing gives couples a quick reference that can be used repeatedly as they experience the ups and downs of grieving. Even with physical infertility, life can still be fertile, fruitful, and filled with hope.

She also is excited to share the fact that she is 'facilitating a "first time in Utah" Kickoff Event to National Infertility Awareness Week. It is planned for April 24th.'

She has worked with a committee of great people to coordinate an educational conference with four local fertility specialists. She will be conducting the event, giving the closing remarks, and her book will be available for sale (along with other titles about infertility).

It is going to be a great opportunity for raising awareness about infertility and to open doors of communication about such a sensitive topic. The event's website is www.utahinfertilityawareness.com if you want to see more about it.

I know this is a sensitive subject for some of you, but I promise you will gain better understanding and hope by going to this event. Please put this on your calendars.Go support her and her new book!

Check out our website to purchase:

Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing

Stepmothers

2010-03-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have never had a stepmother, but my best friend has one. Her parents were married for somewhere around 25 to 30 years. One day, her mom just up and left. She decided she didn't love her husband anymore, and she left the church and started making choices that a mom wouldn't make! (Well, that we hope wouldn't make.) It was really hard on my friend. How do you go from having a mom who does all the right things and sets an example, to a mom who doesn't care what you do or where you are?

A few years later, her dad re-married an LDS woman who is an extremely nice person. Her mom moved in with her boyfriend and now my friend never sees her. Her step-mother has jumped into this family doing such a great job. She is the complete opposite of her real mom though. She is quiet, soft spoken, and sweet as can be. Her mom on the other hand though, was always loud and out spoken, and spunky. It took my friend a long time before she felt truly comfortable with her step mom. Yes, she has always loved her and thought she was great, but she can't just replace her mom.

Do you have a step mom? Was it hard to accept her in your home? Or what about a step dad? Just curious what your thoughts are.

We got this book published that is coming out next month called "The Not So Wicked Stepparent" by Sherrie Mackelprang. She tells her experiences as a stepchild and a stepparent. Not only does she share her humorous stories about being a stepparent and child, she shares uplifting quotes, and practical tips to help any stepparent adjust to the emotional roller coaster ride of instant parenthood.

If you are interested in The Not-so-WICKED Stepparent, check it out on our website.

Primary Poster Download

2010-03-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

I found this way cute "all I need to know I learned in primary" poster over at Little Wonders.

It is up for grabs on a free download over on her blog. Check it out! It's so cute and would be perfect in your little one's room.

Crafting

2010-03-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

Today I was looking at some Easter Decor and found some amazing stuff! I love crafts. I love thrift stores. There is just something about being able to change someones trash into your own treasure.. for only a few dollars!! Anyway, I thought I would share some of the things I found today. Be sure to click on the link to see how to make them!

http://the-lakes.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-decorations.html

http://thecleverchic.blogspot.com/2010/03/easter-wreath.html

http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2010/02/peeps-topper.html

http://sweetlittlesmoothie.blogspot.com/2010/03/easter-tree.html

I can follow Jesus Christ Treasure Hunt

2010-03-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

My older sister Adrianne is such a good mom. She is always doing fun activities with her kids and coming up with new ways to teach them. Her kids are extremely smart for their age. She has a blog for just the activities she does with her kids called Snakes, Snails, and Puppy-dog Tails . I like to go through it and see all the fun things she is teaching her kids. This time I found something different that would work for a CTR 4 class. It's a treasure hunt that helps them understand the importance of following Jesus Christ. Like she says, sunbeams need to move around and need activities to help them learn. They are too little to sit still for a whole lesson. So, Everything below was taken from her blog and was made by her. If you use the idea, please give her credit. Thanks! Enjoy. (Oh, and be sure to visit her blog!)

This activity was not for Family Home Evening but for my CTR 4 class. The lesson was on choosing to follow Jesus Christ and talked about how we made a choice to follow the plan of Heavenly Father and accepted the plan for Jesus Christ to come to earth and be our Savior. Sometimes the lessons are a little over the head of the four year olds because the same lesson is taught up to the 8 year olds. Little four year olds just coming out of Sunbeams need some activities and things to get them moving while learning at the same time. So, I decided to use the manual to teach them about the plan. We used some of the scriptures from the manual and I taught them about the story of the council in heaven. Then we went on a treasure hunt. We started in the classroom and I asked them a question from the manual about the council in heaven. If they answered it correctly they got a clue. Each place had a question and a clue and then we made it back to the classroom where we had a treasure (dollar store toys) waiting for them. At the end I explained to them that just as we had to follow the clues to find our treasure we made a choice to follow the Savior and we still have to make that choice every day. The real treasure is the Atonement and our agency. The kids loved this activity.

Even though I used this for my class, it could easily be used for Family Home Evening. My friend that teaches the 7-8 year olds used the same activity only geared more toward their age group so I think the activity could be pretty versatile.

Here is the outline I used:

1. Where did we live before we came to earth?
-Heaven
Clue #1 Go to the place where you put your warm clothes (Coat closet)

2. Where did Heavenly Father want us to go?
-Earth
Clue #2 Where would you go if you were thirsty? (Drinking fountain)

3. What two people presented plans?
-Satan and Jesus
Clue #3 Go to the place where you would exercise your bodies (Cultural Hall)

4. What was Jesus’ plan?
-To come to earth and let everyone have their agency. Jesus would be our Savior and provide a way for us to repent and return to Heavenly Father.
Clue #4 Where are the biggest windows in the church? (Entry way)

5. Who did you choose to follow?
-Jesus Christ
Clue #5 Go to the place you sit in every week after sharing time (Classroom)

6. Give an example of how you could follow Jesus (If there is enough time have each kid give an example, otherwise, just have one or two kids give an answer. As they answer they an choose a prize from the treasure bag).

**Explain that just as we followed the clues to find the treasure, we followed the plan of Jesus. We wanted to follow him and we came to earth. We still have to follow Him each day. Jesus Christ is the real treasure. The Atonement is a gift for us. If we follow Him and his plan we can return to live with Heavenly Father and claim our prize of eternal life.

Alternate questions for an older class:

1. Where did we live before we came to earth and who did we live with?
Clue #1 Read a scripture about Joseph’s coat of many colors. The clue is the coat and have them go to the coat closet

2. Why did Heavenly Father want us to come to Earth?
Clue #2 Read a scripture about Jesus being the living waters or how you won’t thirst again if you follow Him. The clue is the water and you have them go to the drinking fountain.

3. What two people had plans and what were their plans?
Clue #3 Read the scripture about running and not being weary. The clue is running and you have them go to the gym,

4. Why do you think you chose to follow Jesus?
Clue #4 Read the scripture about strait is the gate and narrow the way for those that enter in. The clue is enter and they go to the entryway of the church. (Send them to the entryway by the bishops office. The clue will most likely be by one of the tables).

5. Give an example of how you could follow Jesus.
Clue #5 Read a scripture about being taught (probably in the D&C or in the New Testament) The clue would be taught and they would go to the classroom. In the classroom you would have the bag of prizes.

Time for a giveaway!

2010-03-17T15:31:00.001-07:00

Just because we like you, we are doing a giveaway! Yay! It's simple- and you can get up 3 entries. I bet most of you didn't know we sold things like this. Not only do we sell books, we have art, scripture accessories, primary things, jewelry, stickers, temple bags, and tons more! If you have little children, this giveaway is perfect for you. It's all things primary and you will love it! The giveaway is being hosted on our books blog. The giveaway includes these 10 items:

I know My Savior Lives Book with CDROM: Family Home Evening Lessons

My Eternal Family Bookmark

My Eternal Family Mood Ring

My Eternal Family Stickers

Primary Makes Me Happy Necklace

Primary Makes Me Happy Bookmark

CTR Bracelet

I Am A Child Of God Stickers

I'll Follow Him Pencils

Scripture Tote for Girls (Has a Zipper)

So, you interested? Check out our books blog to enter!

Pets

2010-03-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

(Image from google images.)

My husband and I bought 3 goldfish last night. The goldfish are our first pet together! (Can fish really count as a pet?) I have never been able to keep goldfish alive. But- we were at Walmart last night and they were only 28 cents each! So, we got three. We have only named one so far- his name is Frampton. (I know, weird.) Well, when we got them home, we transferred them into the little fishbowl that we had. We then thought we would feed them a little. Well, they didn't eat. They just left it there. I guess they get fed at night at Walmart. So, there is all this food floating around in the fishbowl. Lovely. Along with their poop. We didn't get any rock pebbles because we thought it would be harder to clean that way. Well, I would rather it be harder to clean then to see their little poop on the bottom of the bowl. (TMI, sorry.) Anyway, I guess it's still fun that we have a pet now.

(This picture is what our little puppy looked like. It's not a picture of her though- I found this on google images.)

When I was younger my mom hated pets. Mostly because I had a handicapped brother that can't walk and he gets scared of pets. Regardless, my dad brought home a puppy one day. My mom was out of town for the day so my dad took advantage of it and bought the puppy. It was a half beagle/ half English pointer. (It was ADORABLE!) Us kids were in love with her- and named her Annabelle. She was so cute. We played with her all day. She was so little and wasn't potty trained so my dad made us keep her in the garage in a bed overnight. When my mom got home late that night, she was LIVID. She was so mad. She told us that we had to get rid of the dog the next day. Well, after she played with it for a little bit, she started liking it. We kept her as an outside dog- but it was winter and it was soo cold. The neighbors dog was a beagle (and a girl) so our puppy would run over there for the night and sleep with her in her dog house. If we wanted to play with her, we would call her over and she would come right back. She listened to us really well, but we could not potty train her. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't. Anytime we would let her in the house, she would poop. All of us kids were in school and my mom worked full time- so my mom wanted to get rid of the dog since she didn't think we took care of her enough. My parents sold her to some latino family and I cried and cried the day she left. Ever since then, I told my self that I would get a dog the day I moved out on my own.

Well now, I live on my own with my husband. We still don't have a dog. Reason being: we live in an apartment that doesn't allow pets. (Does that mean a fish is breaking the rules?) The day we get a house, I'm getting a puppy.

So, what's your experience with pets? Good, bad?

Anyway, I am excited about having fish. Hope I can keep them alive.

Mario Facione Fireside

2010-03-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

Mario Facione, author of "From Mafia to Mormon" will be giving a fireside Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at 6:30 PM in the Stake Center on 450 E. 5600 S. Murray, UT.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to go- Mario has an amazing story and you will be truly edified.

They will be meeting in the Relief Society Room.

How do you stay in shape?

2010-03-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Staying in shape is important. Whether it's riding a bike, taking a walk, working out at the gym, or jogging- it all helps! I wanted to discuss this topic today because I think one of the biggest problems that some of us have is the fact that we don't have time to work out.

I work Mon-Friday from 8AM-5PM and that leaves me only nights to work out. By the time I get home, make dinner, clean up, and spend a little time with the hubs, it's almost bed time! How do I sacrifice one of those things? I used to dance growing up- (I still do a little, but I mostly teach now) and it really kept me in shape. I was dancing Tues-Thurs and then on Saturdays. Dancing is such a cardio workout- but it was more than that too. I got the stretching, the muscle toning, and the cardio all in one. It was so nice. I had a fast metabolism so I was pretty skinny. I got really lucky. After I was done dancing for the day, I was tired, but felt so good. Working out gives us endorphines. I just read this article today about that:

"We've known for a long time about the benefits of exercise as a way to enhance our physical condition and combat disease; but it hasn't been until more recently that exercise is being recognized as an element in maintaining mental fitness. Studies have shown that exercise releases endorphines in the brain, which in turn cause us to have what is commonly know as a "natural high" or a "runners high". You may not realize what caused it, but most of us have felt it. Whether we're engaged in a leisurely swim or an adrenaline-charged rock climb, there is that moment when suddenly pain or discomfort drops away and we are filled with a sense of euphoria. We have endorphins to thank for these moments of bliss." (Taken from HubPages.Com)

So, I think that even if we don't have a lot of time to work out, we need to make some time to help us out not only physically, but mentally. It is extremely important that we take care of ourselves. Here are a few ideas to help you stay in shape and healthy:

(These are the normal things you all know)
1. Exercise- at least go on a walk.
2. Go to sleep earlier.
3. Take Vitamins
4. Don't Skip Breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day.
5. Eat more veggies and cut down on the red meat, sugar, and salt.

What kind of activities can we do?
1. Hula Hoop! It sounds funny- but it really will work out your tummy, thighs and glutes.
2. Go swimming and do a few laps. You can even lift weights in the pool.
3. Go Bike Riding- riding a bike is fun, and easy to get up to a mile. You could do 10 miles in no time!
4. Dance
5. Take a yoga or Pilates class
6. Attend a step class at the gym. Sometimes they are free.
7. Do crunches
8. Lift weights. Even 5 pounds will help.
9. Go on a walk
10. Jog
11. Prepare for a 5K. (This one is harder and will take more time.)
12. Play the boxing game on the Wii! It really works and burns tons of calories.
13. Go Ice Skating
14. Take the stairs, not the elevator.
15. Walk your dog
16. Go on a hike
17. Play Volleyball or any other sport
18. Playing tag with your kids
19. Find an online workout video that is free
20. Wearing weight loss shoes or sandels. (bath and body works has some sandels.)

So, what do you do? How do you stay in shape?

Huge Contest!

2010-03-12T07:47:00.001-08:00

Cedar Fort is hosting a huge contest for Illustrators. We are looking to publish the winner and give 100$ cash! Click on the link below for more details and rules. Good luck! Oh- and this contest ENDS on March 31st, 2010!

Adoption, An Interview, and A Book

2010-03-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

I was just going to post this on my book blog but since it's got the topic of adoption and we were talking about that this week, I thought I would post it. Ashley Bigler, author of "Once Upon A Time: An Adoption Story" agreeded to do an interview with me. She is dear to my heart and I know her well. She used to be my Young Womens leader. I remember her telling us the story about the first time she was adopting. She was such a great leader that all of us looked up to.

Here is something funny about her that she might not like me sharing.. HAHA- when we were in young womens, we told her that the stop signs with lines around it meant you didnt have to stop at them. (She had moved here recently from Mississippi.) We told her they were 'optional'. Well, she listened to us, and ran a stop sign! Then we all laughed and laughed until she figured out we were teasing her. I just love her so much and feel priviledged to have done an interview with her. I hope you all enjoy. Her book comes out next month- and I will be sure to post about it next month to remind you all! (OR, you can pre-purchase it now on her website.) Check out her website HERE.

Here is our interview below. Thank again Ashley for doing this. You are amazing!

Author Interview: Ashley Bigler

Q. Tell us about yourself. Where are you from? Did you go to college? Marriage? Kids? All the works J
A. I am a Southern girl at heart after being raised in Mississippi for most of my life. I graduated from Belhaven College (Jackson, Mississippi) with a degree in Elementary Education. My dream was to be a kindergarten teacher someday. I moved to Utah in 2000 when I married my sweet husband, Drew.  We have 3 wonderful children: Lindsey, 7; Peyton, 5; and Myleigh who is 2.  They were all adopted at birth.  And right now, we are in the process of adopting an adorable 6 year old boy from Taiwan.

Q. Since your book is about adoption, I thought I would ask: did you ever think you would be adopting someday? Did it come as a shock to you when you found out you couldn’t have children?
A. In high school, I had to do a paper on "What would be the worst thing that could happen to you?". Well, at the time, I had an Aunt who couldn't have children and I thought that was the saddest thing to have to deal with, so that's what I wrote about.  How sad, I thought, to never know what it would be like to be pregnant, to never get to make my own cute maternity clothes, to never see the look in my husband's eyes when he knew I was carrying his child. Isn't that something most every girl dreams of?
After being married for several years and trying several IVF procedures and lots of surgeries and treatments and still not getting pregnant, I came to the realization that I never would carry a child.  The funny thing is though, that I think I was prepared spiritually for that answer.  Although I didn't know anyone who adopted or even where to start with adoption, I knew I was going to adopt and I was actually really happy about it. The excitement of the adoption process helped replace the feelings of disappointment that I felt every month that I wasn't pregnant.

Q. Do you feel like by adopting your children that they filled that empty space in your heart of wanting your own children? Do you feel like they are your own?
A. I KNOW they are my own children. I know without a doubt that they are the same children that were waiting in Heaven for me, they just took a different journey to our home.  They grew in my heart, not in my tummy.
I am totally fulfilled now as a mother both emotionally and spiritually.  I used to feel sorry for people who had to adopt, but now I feel sorry for people who don't get that chance to be sealed together in the temple to their adopted child and know that it happened through the wonderful grace of God.

Q. Is Adoption a long and hard process? Do you think you will adopt more? Is it worth it? (I’m sure the answer to that is yes!!!)
A. The first time was a hard process because I didn't have anyone to talk to about it.  My husband and I kindof felt like pioneers in adoption at the time. It was almost taboo or something. People just didn't talk about it.  From start to finish with our first child (paperwork to birth) was exactly 9 months. =)  That was my gestation, I guess.  It was TOTALLY emotional. I tell my friends that I had 9 months of emotional labor not physical labor. I worried, stressed, and worried some more.  I like to be in control and had to learn how to let everything go and leave it in the Lord's hands.  He had to be in control. That was a good lesson for me to learn.  Once we held our baby girl for the very first time, I knew that it was all worth it. All those years of pain vanished.  I was a mother. I didn't get there the traditional way, but I was a mother just the same.
We now have had that wonderful adoption experience three times. Each with its own stresses but each with that same beautiful outcome.  I love the excitement of never knowing who will pick us and what path the Lord might take us down.  Not to mention, we were able to choose the sex of our children if we wanted to. The adoption journey we are on right now is very different. This time we are going to another country (Taiwan) to adopt an older child (6 years old) who doesn't even speak our language. I'm just glad that the Lord decided to save this one for last. =) This seems crazy, and yet, it's fitting into place as if it had been in the plans all along. I've learned never to question my spiritual promptings.  So here we wait again for that phone call.  Only this time we're waiting to hear we can make the long trip to pick up our son instead of waiting to hear it's time to go to the hospital, our baby is born.
Yes, yes, yes, it is totally worth it.

Q. This is your first book. Do you plan on writing more?
A. Yes, this is my first book. The funny thing is that I never really saw myself as a writer. That wasn't something I ever thought I'd do. It wasn't until we adopted our first child and tried to find a book to help her understand more about adoption that the thought came to mind.  The most popular book was Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born, and although I loved the story, it didn't mention anything about a birth mother. How can we talk about adoption without including the birth mother?  I created a little flannel board Family Home Evening kit for my daughter to tell her about her adoption story. This is where I got the idea for the book.  I went through several book concepts before getting it exactly the way I wanted it.
When I realized that we would be adopting from Taiwan, the thought crossed my mind that if this book does well, maybe my next story will be about an international adoption. So we'll see how that goes. I'm keeping notes just incase.

Q. Is this book a true story- or did it just come to you in an idea one day?
A. This is the story of our first adoption (Lindsey). We lived every part of the book: the pain, the waiting, the joy.  I used that story because it will match most any domestic infant adoption journey. People will relate to the story.  Our adoption situations with Peyton and Myleigh were even the same. This could easily be any one of the 3 adoptions we've been through.

Q. Did you have a hard time finding an illustrator that was perfect for this book?
A. Picking an illustrator wasn't too hard. I looked at many books trying to get an idea of the style I wanted.  As soon as I saw the book I Chose You illustrated by Amy Hintze, I knew who I wanted to use. Her artwork was exactly what I had imagined my book looking like. Actually finding her was a little harder.  Once I was able to contact her, I was so thrilled to hear that she would work with me on this project. The wonderful thing about Amy is that she can paint anything. All this time, I pictured each page in detail in my head. How was I going to share that with Amy for her to paint? She had the idea of taking photographs for each page that she would use when she's painting. Because of this, I was able to have several special additions to the book, my daughter is the main character, our puppy is shown throughout, my other children are hidden on the last page along with several friends' adopted children, and parts of our actual nursery are illustrated in the book.  Amy was able to bring what was in my head to life and make it even more beautiful than I imagined it. She captured that feelings of each person in the story.  She tells the story so well with just her art.  She was a joy to work with. I hope to work together again if I ever do write another book.

Q. What do you want others to gain out of reading your book?
A. My purpose in writing this book is to help children understand how much they are loved by everyone involved in their adoption plan.  They should know that they have a birth mother that didn't give them away but gave them more, and that the choice was a very hard one. I want adoptive parents to know that they will not be less of a parent by allowing their children to know that they have a birth mother.  It is healthy for them to question who they are and where they came from. Don't hide that from them. I want adopted children to know that they are in the family they were meant to be in from the beginning, they just took a different path to get there. That is the story. That is what adoption is all about.

Q. What is your favorite book? Why?
A. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be The Velveteen Rabbit. I love stories with a happy ending.  Plus I was just like the child in the story. I still have my favorite childhood stuffed animal that I can just hold and remember how it made me so happy.  Most of all, I love it because my dad sends me little messages from the book about how much I am loved just like the velveteen rabbit was.

Q. If you decide to write more books, do you want to stick with the children’s book category?
A. Absolutely. Let's see, it took me more than 3 years to write 32 pages, at that rate, it would take me about 70 years to write a novel. Looks like I'd run out of time. =) Seriously though, I love children's books. This is where my heart is.

Q. How did you feel the first time you held your book? Were you so excited?!
A. My first overwhelming feeling of joy was when I saw the first painting that Amy did and realized that my book was actually going to be printed. It didn't seem real until that moment. The next time I felt that much excitement about it was when I first saw the book. It was beautiful and it was finally REAL.  I couldn't believe I was a published author. I'm still not sure that it has totally sunk in yet. My favorite part was when I brought my first 10 books home and gave them to my children.  They sat on the couch next to each other holding their own copy while Lindsey read them the story. When she was finished, they each asked questions about their own adoptions. We got out their baby pictures and pictures of their birth mothers and talked about everything.  It was beautiful. This is what I dreamed would happen when other people read the story. This is the dialog that is so important to adoptees.

Q. How long did it take you to write the book and get it published?
A. After working for 3+ years to get the book just the way I wanted it, I spent another 2 years trying to find a publisher.  The interesting thing is that I had only told my very good friend about the book. I hadn't even told my husband or my family. I wanted it to be a surprise if I ever did get it published. I'm not good at keeping secrets, so I'm amazed I was able to hide it for that long. (I think deep inside I never believed it would actually be published and I didn't want to look like a failure to them.) I was told upfront how difficult it would be to get a children's picture book published, especially for a first time author without an agent. I sent the manuscript out to several publishers. Each time I was turned down. Cedar Fort was actually my first choice because not only did they have a good reputation, but they were local. I really wanted to be involved in the publication of the book if I could.  They actually turned the book down the first time I sent it to them. I later learned that most publishers only pick up one or two children's books a year to print. Thinking that they might have an opening, I sent it to them again a few years later. This time they said YES! It was the best day.  I was so excited at that point, that I ended up telling everyone even before the book was printed. They were still pretty surprised though.

Q. Is there something you can share about you that we (the readers) don’t know about you?
A. Let's see. Well, I'm terrified of talking in front of people (unless they are under the age of 10 for some reason). I'm coming to realize that as an author of an adoption book, I might have to get out and speak at a few conferences and seminars to help promote the book. Although, this scares me to even think about it, when the subject is adoption, I feel a sense of peace about it (we'll see how peaceful I feel when I'm actually in front of people though). That's about it. I'm pretty much an open book. That's me: a simple, colorful, sentimental book with a happy ending. =)

Thanks Gillian. It was fun! Have a great day.

Thank you so much!!

Discipline: What's your method?

2010-03-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

I found the cutest idea for disciplining your kids. (Well, not sure any type of disciplining is fun or cute....) But if you have to do it, do it the right way. Here is what I found:

This is a discipline board. You put your kids names on the clothes pins and move them up or down depending on their behavior. I found the picture above at A Girl and a Glue Gun, and she found the idea at Trendy Treehouse.

This reminds me of when I was in Elementary School. They used to have all of our names on pockets and we would get a green card if we were good, a yellow card if we had a warning, and a red card if we were bad. We would have to call our parents if we got a red card. I kind of think doing something like this- which is visual- is a good idea. I am a visual person for sure and this tells them when they need to shape up without you even having to get mad at them. All you have to do is go over to it, move the clothespin up or down, and not say a word. That might make them act better!

What do you think? Do you do timeouts? How do you discipline? Do you ground your kids?

Adoption Doesn't Cure Infertility

2010-03-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Brittany Mangus, author of "Prepare Now For The Temple" wrote this post below. It's a wonderful story with a very personal touch to it. She says:

"Adoption Doesn't Cure Infertility
I remember during our adoption orientation in 2007, the myth of "adoption cures infertility" was brought up. In my mind I kind of got hung up on that because I guess I thought that once we added children to our family, those feelings would just go away.

And yes, it is true that since beginning the adoption process I have healed a lot, (I was actually OK at church last Mother's Day, and that was even before we met our son's birth mom). I can now go down the baby isle at the store, I can even go to baby showers now without the threat of a panic attack. But there are still times where those old, crappy feelings crop up.

For me, sometimes it catches me off guard, like when I bought a baby book for my son. I started filling it out with the normal information (weight and length at birth, etc.) and then I came across things like "Some people say I inherited these qualities from my mommy and daddy: _________." I just sat there and stared at the page. It was just kind of a reminder that our situation was different. I love that adoption is part of who my baby is, but it brought up that familiar hurt... you know, that sometimes I wish that I could have given birth to him.

When stuff like that happens, I have to remember to just take a step back and think of how blessed we've been. The good news is, for me, the bitterness of infertility has faded over time. Even though adoption has not cured those feelings, I think I have learned how to deal with it a little bit better.

And who knows, maybe my son will "inherit" my husband's love for camping and hunting, or my love for books. I'll just have to wait a little longer to fill out that page of his baby book. And that's ok. :)"

I have often thought about this subject and I think that's why this story touched me so much. I have been told my my doctor that I don't ovulate every month and therefore may have a difficult time getting pregnant when that time comes. I worry how I could react to it if someday they told me I could not get pregnant. What would I say? What would I do? I do feel as though I am not strong enough to deal with that. I look up to those who can get through it. I think adoption is great. Anyway, just a few things to think about. Have any of you struggles with this? Miscarriage? Adoption? Infertility?

Thanks again Brittany for sending this story. Check out more of her stories on the blog she contributes to: www.ldsadoptioncouples.blogspot.com

Homeschooling

2010-03-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

My sister Adrianne has been juggling the thought of whether or not she should home school her little boy Will next year. She wrote this post below on her blog:

"Will you be sending Will to Kindergarten this fall? What do you think about home schooling or have you thought about home schooling?

This question comes at the perfect time because this has been on my mind for a long time. I have a short answer and a long answer. The short answer is that I don't know if I will be sending Will to school or if I will home school him. Now, if that's all the answer you want, you can stop reading but if you want to know my reasons you can keep reading but it might be kind of lengthy.

I love the idea of home school. I like the idea of having my kids near me and being a part of their learning. I also like having control over what they will be learning and being able to help them learn on their own time. I'm not stoked about the idea of propaganda being taught to my kids. Nor am I interested in them coming home chanting some silly Barack Obama jingle.

Exhibit A

Exhibit A is from about six months ago. Mike, for curiosity sake, gave Will these worksheets and some Good-N-Plenty to see if he could add. He got them all right with minimal help from us. He has since gotten much better at writing his numbers and can whip right through a worksheet without any help from us.

Will is also beginning to read. He is not a super great reader yet but he can read almost all of Hop On Pop by himself. He also has a little notebook like this that he spells his own words on. I also find little notes written to me all over the house. I can't make out everything he is trying to spell in the notes but the majority I can. I am just amazed at how his learning has just exploded.

I asked him why he wanted to go to school and he told me he is "just so excited to learn all about my body and the earth and space." I didn't have the heart to tell him that he would not be learning those things for a long, long time--most definitely not in kindergarten where he will instead be sitting in a seat most of the day learning a letter a week. Of course, he might also learn his colors, shapes, and numbers--things he knew when he was two and a half.

I need to interject here that I do not expect my children to be the smartest or to learn quickly. It wasn't until I was in my last year of college that I was finally diagnosed with a learning disability. I can tell you that I cried a lot of tears before that diagnosis finally came and I berated myself for not being smart. But I was really proud of myself for graduating from high school with a 3.98 GPA and even more proud of myself for graduating from BYU.

All I care about is that they work hard and that they love learning. I don't want to see Will so excited to go to school and learn only to watch him a few months later causing problems or hating school because he is BORED OUT OF HIS MIND.

My biggest concern with homeschooling is just that it is such an overwhelming thing to do. I already feel close to being sent to the looney bin and I think having to have my kids with me every minute of the day just might be the thing to send me there.

So, the decision is still not made. I am talking to moms that home school to find out how they feel about it and I am reading books and doing research so hopefully very soon I will find an answer and be confident it is the right one. The good thing about this is that if I choose to send Will to school and he isn't growing, I can always take him out.

What are your thoughts on home schooling?"

So, with this post on her blog, she got 25 comments. 25 Comments! Wow! All sides were good arguments. You can read them by clicking HERE.

So, do you home school your kids?

Daycare

2010-03-04T10:08:00.000-08:00

Let's talk about daycare.

What are your thoughts?

Here is what I think. And PLEASE don't take it personally.

I don't like it. When I have kids, I want to be a stay at home mom. I don't like the idea of someone else watching my child all day long at a place with 20 other kids who have colds and who knows what else. I don't like the idea of my child learning their first word there or them taking their first step there with me missing it. I do understand that some moms have to work to support the family- and that's ok. My mom works full time because my dad is on disability. But, she never worked while we were growing up. If we had a babysitter, it was someone in our ward or a family member. I just feel like some moms work just to be away from their kids and take their kids to daycare because they don't want to deal with them. But- do they realize that by the time they pay the money to the daycare, they really aren't making much.

Don't get me wrong- I think it's ok to work, but I think there are other ways to take care of your children than daycare. If you live by family, have them watch your kids for a bit. If not, make a trade with a friend or neighbor and then you won't loose any money. Most people are fine to watch a few extra kids- especially if they already have kids their age that they could play with.

I just think daycare is a waste of money.

What do you think?

Beating the High Cost Of Eating

2010-03-03T14:58:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I got on this coupon kick. I went to this free Savvy Shopper class (a class that teaches you how to use coupons and get really good deals) and got really motivated! I subscribed to the local newspaper for 2 papers each Sunday and one each Thursday. It was 14.00 a month. Basically they teach you to cut out the coupons and shop at the stores that have the couponed items on sale that week so you get an even bigger deal. Yea, sounded like a good idea at the beginning... but DANG! It took forever! Who wants to go to every single store each week just to get the item that was 20 cents cheaper? Not me. I tried doing it for a while but it took up sooo much time and planning. I just don't have that kind of time. Do any of you do it?

Anyway, I canceled my newspaper subscription and decided to just make a weekly meal plan and just buy the cheapest best deal on each thing I get and then not buy things I don't need. I also stock up on things that go on sale- like olives and refried beans and chicken. It has seemed to be working really well for me.

I also read this book called "Beating the High Cost Of Eating" by Barbara Salsbury. It came out in 2005 by Cedar Fort. I learned a TON from this book. Here are a few of my favorite tips from the book:

-Plan to eat the bargains you find rather than trying to find bargains on what you plan to eat

-Don't get locked into buying one brand. A lot of them taste the same. Try different ones.

-Price recognition is a key to buying power.

-Give yourself a specific amount to spend BEFORE you get to the grocery store.

What are your tips?

If you want BEATING THE HIGH COST OF EATING, you can purchase it on Cedar Fort's website.

Piggyback Rides and Slippery Slides

2010-03-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

Today I thought I would share this book called "Piggyback Rides and Slippery Slides" by Lynnae W. Allred. Parenting is tough- and it's ok to get help from else where. This book will teach you how to have FUN while parenting. Enjoy!

"We are busy. Our children: busy. Our grandchildren: busy. We are busy providing our offspring with comfort, experience, and social and academic skills - and yet many parents still fail to provide their children with the most important asset of all: play.
Piggyback Rides and Slippery Slides calls for loving caregivers everywhere to improve the well-being of children through the simple art of play. As you create memories with your children, you will provide them with the skills they need to succeed in life - skills like empathy, problem solving, impulse regulation, assertiveness, and creativity. As research demonstrates, children who have learned how to play are better prepared academically, socially, and emotionally than their busier, "more accomplished" peers.
And as you spend time playing with your children, you will discover that spending time together is the magic ingredient to trust, even if that time is spent just feeding ducks, flying a kite, or enjoying blueberry pancakes on a lazy Saturday morning.
Lynnae W. Allred received her BA in humanities from Brigham Young University. For the past twenty years, her career has been motherhood. She and her husband, Garth, have five children. She has served in local and council PTA leadership positions, and received the District Award of Merit for her service to the Boy Scouts of America. Her volunteer work with children also includes many years of service in ecclesiastical assignments for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she recently served as Stake Primary president (the Church's auxiliary organization for children)."

The "Honeymoon Phase"

2010-03-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

Jodi Marie Robinson sent me this story on Friday. She also posted this on her blog. She is an author for Cedar Fort and wrote "Women of Virtue." You can check out her blog HERE.

Below is her story- enjoy!

So, my kids and I are the proud parents of five adorable, tweeting, fluff balls! My oldest daughter and her friend talked me into buying two baby chicks on Tuesday. We started out with two--the next day we had five. We found having more than two chicks ensures that they will be healthy grown-up chickens. Family of six and five baby chicks.

The chicks are so cute we've spent all our time obsessing over them. We haven't cared that they tweet through the night and that they're up at dawn, tweeting some more. Yesterday, the little black one, named Scarlet/Oreo, put its wing around the yellow chicky named Jacq. They cuddled in the corner of their box and we were beside ourselves!

Okay, so, the crazy thing is...we know these cute, adorable chicks are going to grow up and someday be BIG chickens. We know they aren't going to be cute and adorable forever. But right now, we don't care because we're in the honeymoon phase of raising chicks. We're caught up in the slow motion movie in our head where we're frolicking through the meadow with baby chicks running behind us. Can you see it, too?

Sadly, these babies are not going to be irresistible, tweeting fluff balls forever. In fact, I've never thought of big chickens as cute or adorable, or really anything. So, when does this "honeymoon so in love with baby chicks phase" wear off?

Raising chicks is just like raising kids. First, God gives you the "honeymoon phase." You fall in love with these helpless, adorable, fuzzy-headed, precious babies, whose burps are even cute. You love them so much your heart hurts. But then, when they're two, they paint your wall with blue nail polish (daughter #3). And when they're eight they play soccer in the house and break your favorite glass candy jar (son #1). Then when they're 16 they drive into a parked car at the grocery store (hasn't happened, yet, but probably will). Then when they're 21, they call you and say, "Mom, I've just eloped." (This happened recently to a friend of mine and part of her was beside herself and the other part was okay. She told me, "All I said was, 'I'm here for you when you need me.'" Yikes! Cute or adorable "chicks" do grow up to do not so cute things!

So, why do we have "chicks" in the first place? Why doesn't God warn us that raising "baby chicks" can be hazardous to our well being? And why doesn't he warn us that we're only going to hold them long enough to turn around and let them go? Because...God made the love we have for our children. He made it strong enough to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. He knows, with His love, we can see our children through anything. That love we felt for them as "baby chicks" is unstoppable.

As I hold this tiny, yellow, baby chick up against me, I know it won't be much longer and it will be too big to hold. The day will come, all to quickly, when I will need to let it go. So...I'm going to love these baby chicks into chicken-hood. I'm going to relish in the memories of holding them, watching over them, worrying about them, and tending to their needs. And then I'm going to trust God to help me to let them go.

P.S. Will you remind me I wrote this when my daughters goes off to college? And when my son goes on a mission? And when my youngest daughter goes to kindergarten? And when...

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." -

-Carl Sandburg"

*I took the pictures from her blog. Such cute little baby chicks! We really do need to embrace our kids and the time we have with them until they grow up and don't want to be held anymore. They will want to grow up and move on. But- like she said, the love we feel for them is unstoppable. Thanks Jodi for sending in the story!

If you have a story, PLEASE do share. We love to hear them.

Journal Making and Writing

2010-02-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last night at Enrichment Night (now called the Relief Society Activity or something right?) we made journals. It was so much fun. When I got home, I got thinking about the importance of writing in a journal. I used to keep a journal when I was younger. I probably have 3 that are 3/4 of the way full. So, last night I went through some old journals and read what I had written. Wow- no wonder I don't keep one anymore! Haha- they were all about relationships or friends that I was fighting with. It was about my crushes and first kisses... lots of things that I think are silly now.

Regardless, I know it's important to keep a journal. When I first got married, I kept a journal of funny things my husband would say during his sleep (he sleep talks EVERY NIGHT) and things we were doing together. I also wrote about lessons I was learning through my marriage. I stopped writing in it because I got a full time job and just got busy. BUT- I vow to try to write at least a parapraph every night. That can't be hard right?

Someday I want to go back and read things I did and said because I don't have a great memory. I want my children to be able to read through it and laugh and maybe even cry with me. I think that's why I like blogging so much. I have a personal blog and I write almost daily about things I did that day, or posting pictures or sharing spiritual experiences. I guess that's why I feel the need not to write in a journal because I am blogging about things almost daily. Why write it twice? Well, the fun of it is seeing the handwriting! And- we can't just erase what we said (unless you use a pencil...) like you can on a computer. It's true, and real. So, It is my goal this year to write daily in my journal. I found a talk about journal writing that I want to share:

"Jeffrey S. McClellan, “A Journal for Today and Tomorrow,” Liahona, Aug 1996, 30

If the writers of the Book of Mormon had recorded their experiences the same way that you do yours, what would the Book of Mormon be like today? Would it have episodes full of intrigue and excitement, like Alma chapters 46–62 [Alma 46–62]? Would it be a deeply spiritual treatise, like 2 Nephi 4 [2 Ne. 4]? Would it be a few brief sentences, like Chemish’s entry in Omni 1:9? Or would it even exist?

Okay, so you’re not writing the Book of Mormon. But chances are, someday someone will read the record of your experiences—your journal. Perhaps it will be your daughter after you die, your great-great-great-grandson doing his genealogy, a gospel scholar looking at what life was like for Church members before the Millennium, or an archaeologist trying to piece together daily life in your town in the late 20th century. Whoever it is, what will they find? Will they find anything?

But a journal isn’t just for people in the future; it also has value now, for you. Your journal can be one of your best friends. When there’s no one else you can talk to, you can tell it to your journal. Share with your journal all your joys, hopes, and successes. But also share with it your frustrations, problems, and failures. Writing about your problems can help you come up with solutions as you think through them. As you express your thoughts in writing, your journal can also help you make difficult decisions, get rid of anger, think clearly when you’re confused, and understand yourself better.
As you read your journal, you can be reminded of blessings you may have forgotten. And your faith and testimony can be strengthened as you read again and again of sacred personal experiences you have recorded over the years.

So how do you write a journal that will have value for people in the future as well as for you today? Here are some thoughts that may help:
Set a time to write. Choose a regular time to write in your journal. That will help you remember to do it. Your journal-writing time can be every evening or just on Sundays. Or it can be in the mornings or at lunchtime. Pick a regular time that works for you, and then do it.
Pick an audience. Often it is easier to write if you feel you are writing to someone. Choose an audience, and write as if you were talking to or writing a letter to that person. Your audience could be an imaginary friend, a real friend, your children or grandchildren, or a future historian. Write as you talk; be casual. Don’t worry about trying to impress anyone. Be yourself.
Write about you. One of the hardest things about writing is trying to decide what to write about. Here’s one way to look at it: If you were reading your great-great-grandmother’s journal, what would you want to read? You would probably want to read about her, right? So write about you. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
1. Describe people and places. People who read your journal will want to know the details of your life. Write interesting descriptions of people—your mother, teacher, and others you associate with. Describe them physically, and also describe their personalities. Describe yourself. Describe where you live, your school, your meetinghouse, and where you go on vacation. Describe the things that have meaning in your life.
2. Talk about your feelings. Describe how you feel and why—and what you do when you feel that way. Be sure to record how you feel about the Lord and about your experiences as a member of the Church.
3. Try to see yourself from a distance. This can be good for other readers, but it is especially helpful for you as you examine your life. What are your biggest problems or challenges in life? How are you going to overcome or resolve them? What are your greatest blessings? How is your testimony growing or changing? President Spencer W. Kimball said that “your journal should contain your true self” (New Era, October 1975, page 5). Don’t create a false picture of yourself. Try to see yourself not as the person you hope others see, but as the person you really are—a child of God struggling with the challenges and imperfections of life but growing, learning, developing, and improving. However, do not record confidential matters that would be inappropriate for others to read.
4. Make lists. List your blessings, your friends, your classes at school, your favorite foods, songs, movies, books, scriptures. Then describe the items in your lists.
5. Write letters in your journal. Write to a future person in your life, like your child or spouse—or to someone in your past, like an ancestor. You could also include copies of letters you write to others, such as to family members or friends.
6. Be a historian. Someone reading your journal may live in a different country or time period and may not know much about the history of the place you live in. Tell them about what is going on in the world and in your area of it. By understanding your circumstances and situation better, your readers will better understand you. Also remember to date every entry and include the location and full names of the people you’re writing about.
7. Include selected keepsakes. Put in your journal things that you create—such as a picture you’ve drawn or a poem or story you’ve written. You could include in your journal programs from plays you’ve been in or pictures of you, your family, and your friends. But don’t turn your journal into a scrapbook or photo album—these should be kept separately from your journal.
(Some of the ideas in this article were contributed by Tamara Leatham Bailey and Jeanette Goates Smith.)
[illustrations] Illustrated by Matthew H. Maxwell"

(talk from lds.org)

So, I decided to share with you the journal I made. It's SUPER easy to make, and if you don't want to make one, I will share with you some journals you can buy from Cedar Fort.

I don't have a step by step picture tutorial because I didn't take my camera- but here is what you do. -Buy a composition notebook (I think they are like 20-50 cents or something!).

-Buy some scrapbook paper. Trace the front and back of the notebook size on your paper and cut it out.

-You will need some modpodge- and then put it on the front of the notebook. Place paper down on it.

-Modpodge the top of the notebook as well. Make sure you get the corners really well and don't cover the spine- it will crack.

-Then, add ribbons, buttons, paper flowers, stickers, whatever you want! I wanted to sew a pocket on the front but I didn't have my sewing machine. You will have to do that before it's all modpodged too.

I added my flowers and buttons and ribbon with a hot glue gun.

Ok, I know it's not perfect, but it was my first attempt. I added my bookmark on the top of the paper with a hot glue gun.

This is the back.

The bookmark goes right in the pages.

Me holding the journal! Wouldn't making a cute journal motivate you to write in one?

If you don't want to make one, you can buy them on Cedar Fort's Website.

So who is with me? Who is going to write in their journal? How often do you usually write in yours?

"When is the baby coming out?"

2010-02-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Today I was asking people to send in their mommy stories and I go two from Celeste Francesconi Hansen. Both were super cute stories, but I will only share one today. Thanks Celeste!

"One day I was sitting with my then five year old daughter. Whom loves babies and is always asking me when I am going to bring a new addition to our family. When she poked my belly and asked “When is the baby coming out.” Much to my dismay I had to explain to her that there was no baby, mommy was just fat. She pondered this for a while and then in her genuine curious tone asked what it is like for a baby to live inside my tummy. I tried my best to explain the conditions to her. She got a silly grin on her face “I remember what it is like in your tummy” She proudly told me. “I did summersaults and back flips”. A pensive look graced her face “Good times, Good times” She said, sending those of us in the room into a peal of laughter."

I laughed when I read this because I have had my sister tell me stories like this where people have asked her if she was pregnant. People sometimes have no shame. Little kids however, are different. It's more of a funny thing when they ask! It was cute how her daughter said she remembered being in her tummy. Have you ever been asked if you were pregnant when you weren't?

Check out her blog for more information on her!

Romance Book Lovers

2010-02-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Today is a lucky day for the people who love romance books! Some of our most popular romance titles are 20% off with our special coupon code- for a limited time only! This is for our blog and Facebook friends ONLY.

All you have to do is go to our website and pick the books you want. When you are checking out, type in 57681 in the coupon code slot. It will then make the above titles 20% off! Hurry while it lasts- this special offer ends on Thursday, March 4th!

If you need help, please don't hesitate to call me {Gillian} at 801.489.4084

Organization: Family Calendar

2010-02-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

I think one of the most important things when it comes to staying organized is having a calendar. My family would sit down once a month on a Monday night and write out all the activities we had going on during that month. Dance lessons, birthday parties, choir concerts, basketball games, piano, birthdays, young womens, and etc. It really helped us be on time and know who was where at what time! It's easier to plan fun things around the things you have to go to if you have it written down! So, I found these calendars online, and all of them are free. Print one out, and write down all your activities! It will help organize your life!

http://www.printablecalendar.ca/

http://www.123printcalendars.com/cute/

http://www.msn.americangreetings.com/printables/classic/category.pd//_/N-80wkZ81at

http://printthistoday.com/free-printable-2010-calendar-with-lovely-flowers/

http://www.redstamp.com/calendars

(My FAVE calendars of all time.)

http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2009/12/11/printable-2010-pocket-calendar-by-sam-cheryl.html

(Pocket Calendars! Such a cute idea! You could hold all your receipts from that month, tickets to movies for the month, etc.)

Enjoy!

Share your stories, Mother

2010-02-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so today, I was looking through this book "Share Your Stories Mother" (it's a memory book) I realized that there is a lot I don't know about my mom! The book is basically a personal history book that asks a different question on each page and leaves the rest of it blank for you to fill it in. So- my challenge for you all and myself, is to get to know those little things you wouldn't normally know about your mothers! Here are a few things to get you started:

-What was your graduation like? What did you wear?

- Do you remember the first time you wore makeup? Did you hide it behind your parents back, or did they encourage it?

-Has anyone ever saved your life? Who? What were the circumstances?

-How did you feel when you found out you were going to be a mother for the first time?

-Do you remember how much things like gas, stamps, and food cost? During what years were those prices valid?

-Who were your favorite teachers? Why were they special to you?

-What are some of your early marriage experiences?

-What was your room like as a child?

Those are just a few to get you started. All of those questions came straight from the book. I thought that it would be a fun book to sit down and fill out with your moms! If you want to buy SHARE YOUR STORIES, MOTHER, you can buy it at Cedar Fort's website. They also have a father, grandmother, and grandfather book that is the same.

Reminders and Blog Addresses

2010-02-17T14:29:00.000-08:00

Hey ladies- if you haven't voted on our Valentines Day Mailbox contest yet- (or haven't heard) tonight is the last night. Voting ends tonight at 11:59 PM and the winner will be chosen tomorrow before noon sometime. If you don't want to vote, just check it out! It's pretty cool.

Also, if you are looking for some good recipes, check out our Recipe Blog.

I really hope you are all having a fantastic day.

Hey- if you are reading this, can you leave a comment with your blog address on it? I'd love to check it out and add your link to my blogroll.

Mothers, this new book is for you!

2010-02-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

This book was set on my desk today and I thought.. what a cute book! I want to tell you all about it! It is coming out in March. It's coming out before Mother's day, and would be a perfect book to give to your mom, or even a friend. If you click on the second picture below, it will get bigger and will allow you to read the blurb on the back. Enjoy!! P.s. This was published by Cedar Fort.

What is your favorite mothers day book? I like "Love You Forever."

Do you have a Laundry System?

2010-02-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

(Picture from HowDoesShe)

Most families have a laundry system in their home. I know someone that does a certain type of laundry on each day of the week from Monday to Friday- (for example: Monday: Whites, Tuesday: Darks.. etc.) My mom had 11 children and I always remember our laundry room so full! Mostly because there were so many of us, it was hard to catch up. We did have bins to sort them in, which was nice. We had a huge folding table and after the clothes were clean, she would fold them and put them in piles on the table for us to come get. So, here are some COOL laundry rooms I found online today. I love it!

I just love how clean it looks- all the white in there makes it look like a room that probably never gets messed up.. ! This image was found HERE.

I love the splash of color in this room. I like the simplicity of it with a spot to hang your shirts. This image was found HERE .

I LOVE the idea of having the sewing room in the same room as the laundry room. I am not sure I like the little grass rug... but I really like everything else! Nice to have it all in one room. Found HERE.

I love all the storage in this one, including a counter top for ironing if you needed it. I like that the cupboards are white, but that the walls have a beautiful splash of color!! Found HERE.

Ok.. this one might be my favorite! I love the windows and the flowers.. it just looks like it would be fun to do laundry in there! Ha! Really though, I like how it's sort of a mud room for the kids to take off their muddy shoes and clothes and drop them right off in the laundry room. Love the hat hanger too! Found this HERE.

This one is truly exquisite! It's so elegant.. I think it's beautiful, but a little too over the top for a laundry room that is just going to be messy!

Anyway, those are a few I found today. I kind of want to go home and do laundry now! My laundry room isn't quite as nice:

HAHA, the previous pictures put my room to shame. Our laundry room is in our bathroom. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment (which is actually really big) and we love it.. but our laundry is in the bathroom! This is the view looking towards the door. I still had my wedding bouquet hanging up... a month after we got married.

Here is the view from the door looking in.

So. Somday. I will have a nice laundry room where I will someday enjoy laundry. Right?

So, What does yours look like? Do you like doing laundry?

Infertility

2010-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Cedar Fort sells this book "Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing" by Kerstin Daynes. I thought I would share since there are a lot of you out there looking for help in this topic.

The back of the book says: "After five years of tests, Kerstin Daynes had her worst fear confirmed: she was infertile. In this honest and reassuring handbook, Kerstin shares her own personal experiences facing infertility and offers insights that will help couples to heal emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Using timeless concepts and introducing unique perspectives, Kerstin gently and empathetically walks the reader through this life-changing process as she shows couples how to make their lives productive while facing their situation. Infertility: Help, Hope, and Healing gives couples a quick reference that can be used repeatedly as they experience the ups and downs of grieving. Even with physical infertility, life can still be fertile, fruitful, and filled with hope."

I love what it says at the end: "even with physical infertility, life can still be fertile, fruitful, and filled with hope.." I may not have gone through infertility, but I truly believe that. I hope you all enjoy reading the book. You can purchase INFERTILITY: HELP, HOPE, AND HEALING on Cedar Fort's website.

How Will A Baby Change Our Marriage?

2010-02-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

I read this post about how a baby changes marriages on Mormon Mommy Blogs and thought I would share. It is open for discussion over there. You can also add your input here. I do not have children yet, but I do often wonder what will change and how things will change when babies do start coming. What has having children done to your marriage? Do you think you have become closer? Anway, you can read the article by clicking HERE.

Music to my ears

2010-02-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

Mel Chelsey, a reader of ours, sent me this cute story about her daughter. Enjoy!

"My sister-in-law, Cheri Chesley, has told me about your Mommy Blog. She said you were looking for stories and knew that I would be "decent". :) I've had a while to think of something from when my two children were younger and honestly, it has been difficult. My kids are now 16 (boy) and 17 (girl). They're 13 months apart and act like twins.
I happened to be reading another blog about motherhood and came up with a story that sticks out.
My 17 year old daughter is very musically inclined. While she is still learning the notes and reading sheet music, she can play anything on the guitar or piano that she hears. She spends hours, sometimes days, picking out the tunes. She even plays the organ piece of Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean 2.
However, many years ago, when I had yet to learn I was pregnant, I went to a Metallica concert. Yes, Metallica. Don't judge me, I listen to everything! Anyway, I had to have been 5 weeks pregnant and didn't know at the time that such a loud concert could have been detrimental to my baby. I thank God that nothing happened to her in a negative way, but something positive did come from it!
After my daughter was born and I overcame my fears as a first time mom to take the baby places, I packed her up into the car. She began to get fussy, then began to cry. By now I was belted in, the car was running and I really didn't know what to do. I tried to give her back her pacifier, she wanted nothing to do with it. I almost backed out, then thought to myself, "No, I need to actually leave the house before I go insane". So lo and behold, I had a cassette tape in the deck and pushed it in. (I know, I'm dating myself) Turned out, it happened to be Metallica and as soon as it began to play, my daughter quieted down. She actually fell asleep! As an experiment, from that point on, whenever she got fussy I played Metallica and it always put her to sleep. She tells me that even now, when she plays one of their songs, or her friends do, it makes her sleepy."

Anybody have similar stories?

Reminder: 6 days till the Vday Contest is over!

2010-02-08T07:17:00.001-08:00

In Case you forgot or hadn't heard: Here are the guidelines and details once again. You have 6 more days till the contest is over!

From January 14^th to February 14^th, Cedar Fort Inc. will be holding a contest for the most creative Valentines Day box!

Valentines Day is coming up- and for those of you who have kids, and like to make Valentines Day boxes for their school, this contest is for YOU! This contest is open to ALL ages! From boxes looking like Turtles, to Curling Irons, to Guitars to Cute Mailboxes, you name it; they are ALL welcome in this contest!

All you have to do is:

-Make a CREATIVE Valentines Day Box

-Send a picture to gmohlman@cedarfort.com

-Check back at our blog: www.cfibemyvalentine.blogspot.com to see it posted

-Let all your friends know about the contest, post it on your blog if you can

I will accept entries until 11:59PM on Feb. 14^th, 2010 (Valentines Day).

The Winner will be chosen on Monday, February 15^th by the end of the day.

Through out the month of this contest, I will be posting pictures of the boxes that are submitted so you can vote on your favorite one! If you have a blog or website and would like a link to be included with the picture, please make sure to e-mail them with your picture and I will post it!

You can all be included and are encouraged to comment on boxes. You will be helping me choose the top 5, and I will choose the top 3 from there. Leave a comment on your favorite box to let me know you vote for it.

Now for the fun part: What’s in it for you?

PRIZES!!!

Grand Prize Winner will get:

A Package of 25 books retailed at $350. Package Includes:

Alvor

Bone Warrior

Mario’s Conviction DVD

Spice Up Your Life

Soul Searching

Spare Change

Chosen

Trust In The Lord

Celestial Companions (Game)

GoSpel (Game)

Return to Mormonville

Nobody’s Better

Making Precious Things Plain

My World

Spirit Of Fire

Sneezles and Wheezles

Nobody’s Better Than You Mom

My Work and My Glory Journal

Adventures With the Word Of God

Joseph Speaks

The Golden Verses

Call Me Little Echohawk

That Ye May Prosper

Always The Elf

A Child Is Born

2^nd Place Winner will get: Copy of Hashbrown Winters, and Hashbrown Winters and the Mashimoto Madness written by Frank Cole. You will also receive a coupon for 20% off any one item on our website: www.cedarfort.com

3^rd Place Winner will get: The Jimmy Fincher Saga Books (4 books in the series)

RULES:

-The boxes CANNOT be store bought

-You can only vote 2 times

-Your picture MUST be of you or someone holding the box so I know it wasn’t from the Internet. (You don’t have to show your face if you don’t want to. It can just be of your arms holding it)

- Along with your picture, you MUST include your contact info in the e-mail such as: e-mail, address, blog, etc.

Last but not least, BE CREATIVE AND GOOD LUCK! Call us for questions: 8014894084

Gillian Mohlman

Cedar Fort, Inc.

Blog Design/Social Networking

Send Entries to: gmohlman@cedarfort.com

Your Child Said The Funniest Thing...

2010-02-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, I saw this on parenting.com and thought it was so clever and funny. Someone posted something about how our kids really do say the funniest thing. She told everyone to leave a comment for what funny things their kids say. So, I thought I would try it! Let's see how many comments we can get!! Here's a few funny ones that were on the website. Hopefully these get you thinking and remembering the funny things your kids say!

"When my son was 4 he asked my sister why she smoked. She told him becuase it's really hard to quit. Well he says " it's not hard, just eat cold turkey and chew gum!"... he'd recently heard a nicorette commercial that says something along the lines of "don't quit cold turkey, chewing our gum can help" .. we just died, it was the funniest thing I'd ever heard him say."

"My pregnant sister who just returned from Africa hadn't been keeping up with shaving her legs. My 3 year old daughter saw her legs and stated, "Aunt Stacy I don't like the beard on your legs! Uggghhh!"

"When asked why my 5 year old Aubrey hit a boy at school she say's "We'll mommy, I just thought about it and my brain made me do it!"

"My 3 year old daughter Chloe was sitting in her car seat when we left the McDonald's drivethru. My husbend handed her, her food and told her sternly " Don't get this all over the car". To that my daughter matter of factly said " I can't Daddy I'm strapped in." That was a good point if I say so myself."

"I've been teaching my 3 year son Tolar that God doesn't like it when you say bad words. So one morning his daddy and I were talking and I said,"your crazy" and Tolar said God doesn't like that. So I said," oh sorry" he replied,"Don't tell me tell God!"

Ok, it's your turn. What do your kids say?!

Tutu's {for little girls}

2010-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

I found the cutest tutorial on how to make these tutu's for your little girls. The one above is just a shirt but she also shows you how to make a tutu to go on a onesie . Be sure to check out Joy's Hope for her tutorial!!

In God's Hands and Helping Haiti

2010-02-02T15:25:00.001-08:00

Shannon Guymon, author of Soul Searching, Letting Go of Hope, Makeover, and many more, sent me this touching story. She has adopted two beautiful black children and in this story, she explains her feelings on adoption and the Haitian devastation. I hope you all take this to heart. Like she says at the end, "Sometimes it’s hard to sit back and let other people do the helping. But they were God’s children first. So we do what we can and leave the rest in His hands." You man not be able to physically go to Haiti, but you can help. Here is what you can do: Go to the American Red cross and donate any amount that is $10 or more- OR Donate your shoes to the Soles for Souls Foundation. There are more ways than this; I just named a few to get you going. Below is Shannon's post. Also, make sure you check out her website.

I found this picture HERE.

"Motherhood has been on my mind so much this last week. As I, and everyone else in the world, witness daily the destruction in Haiti, the plight of the orphaned children wrenches my heart. I can’t seem to stop reading all the news articles that come my way through the internet. One article about the church group from Idaho that was caught trying to take 30 children over the border in to the Dominican Republic made me cringe. Good intentions sometimes pave the road to international scandal. It’s hard to judge them too harshly though. As a mother, it’s almost impossible to sit back and do nothing when there are children starving and alone and afraid. Having that protective instinct though is what makes me who I am.

Another article I read from the Deseret News followed families who had been in the process of adopting Haitian children before the earthquake. The article showed pictures of these parents with their arms around their beautiful children and the joy in their smiles and their tears. Some of these families had been waiting over five years to be with their children. After reading their stories and seeing their united families, I had to wipe away my own tears.

I decided to read the comments on these articles. Everyone had to be as happy as I was for these families and I wanted to bask in their joy a little longer. Well, I was shocked. Yes, there were many kind, supportive and wonderful comments, but there were also many comments from people who thought that these white American families adopting black children from Haiti was horrible. They said things like baby stealing and mentioned child trafficking. I sat back stunned.

I read a few articles on the KSL news site and was overwhelmed with the negativity that many people were expounding towards these families and the Haitian children in general. Many comments were along the lines of, if we adopt all these children and bring them to America, then we’ll have more crime, less money and more racism.

One comment I thought was interesting. This man said that all these families wanting to bring Haitian orphans to America should just adopt many of the orphans right here in America and let the Haitian government deal with its own problems.

I come from a different perspective than most people, because my husband and I have adopted two black children through private adoption. The joy these two children have brought to our home and our life is indescribable. I don’t even want to imagine our lives without them. True our children are American, but what does nationality have to do with it? It’s very simple. It’s just one family, opening their home and their hearts to children who need a home a hearts to love them. Are we not all brothers and sisters? Regardless of what country we’re from, if someone is hurting, shouldn’t we heal that hurt? If someone is motherless, should we not step in and mother? If someone is homeless, should we not step in and open our homes?

It reminds me of the Good Samaritan story. Reaching out to help someone who is different than you are. But isn’t that what God wants us to do? Isn’t that why we’re here?

One angry man said he was disgusted every time he saw a family with both white kids and black kids and that the parents just wanted attention. The only reason they had adopted these children was to show the world that they were better than everyone else and that if they had wanted to do a good deed and not brag about it, they should have adopted white kids who looked like them.

I have to admit, that one bothered me a lot. When my husband and I considered adopting, receiving the world’s accolades was not one of the reasons for doing so. Having our family pointed at and looked at constantly was not something we were aiming for. Our only purpose was to bring happiness and love into a child’s life and more happiness and love into our own.

I will continue to watch the news and know that my heart will break every time I see a child in Haiti or anywhere else in the world, where there isn’t a mom to hold them, to love them, to protect and care for them. We do what we can to help in the only capacity that we can right now and that’s through prayers and donations. We’ve donated through the Red Cross and through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’s web site. Sometimes it’s hard to sit back and let other people do the helping. But they were God’s children first. So we do what we can and leave the rest in His hands."

Shannon Guymon

This image was taken from HERE

"There's a reason I call myself a traveling circus..."

2010-01-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

Cheri Chelsey sent in this funny story a few days ago. I have been sick and haven't been able to blog, so I wanted to share it today. Sorry I posted it a few days late! (P.s.. The picture are her adorable kids- the first to taken during the time of this story, and the last one is a recent one.)

There’s a reason why I called myself a traveling circus.

"In what now seems like another universe, I was a young mother. I had three sons before I turned twenty-four. Two more girls came along within five years. My oldest and youngest children are six years and eight months apart. While our twins were babies, my husband worked in another state three weeks of every month. I frequently did the shopping with kids in tow. Imagine how that looked—two infant car seats in one shopping cart, a two-year-old sitting in the other shopping cart, which incidentally would have been laden with food, diapers, wipes, formula, and various other items, with me pushing one cart while pulling the other. This is how we shopped. Honest, it didn’t seem insane at the time.

I got used to the staring. The people who bothered me were the ones who felt they had to talk to me. I really just wanted to get in, do my business and get out. I got comments that covered the range. “Are they all yours?” Did I look that young? “God will bless you for not aborting those babies.” Thanks lady, now go away—you scare me. “Are they triplets?” Sure, this big one was born weighing 15 lbs. You didn’t see us on the news?

As the twins got older, it got easier. Or I just prefer to believe it did. That’s not counting the time when they were barely walking that I got it into my head to take the three boys shoe shopping. I was pregnant with my first daughter at the time. Don’t ask me what I was thinking.

I remember a lot of people inside the store. It would have been during the holiday season of 2000. There’s a cardinal rule of twins that I didn’t know at the time: when they start to walk they will always go in opposite directions. So I had to keep a close watch on them, preferably holding their hands, but I had two hands and three young boys.

As I knelt down in front of the shoe rack to look at sizes and colors, my oldest—at the ripe old age of three—decided it would be a great joke to pull down his pants and moon me. I glance up just in time to see his pale little rear make its debut. Mortified, I forgot all about buying sneakers. I yanked up his pants and herded all three of them back to the car.

I don’t think I ever set foot in that particular shoe store again."

Haha.. Loved this story. I sure got a good laugh out of it. Hope you did too. You can check out Cheri's blog by clicking HERE.

FREE Family Home Evening Jar Print-Out

2010-01-27T12:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted about Family Home evening helps and ideas. After that, I decided I wanted to make my OWN ideas and make them available for you to print out- FREE of charge! {don't we all love free stuff!} Anyway, it comes with 40 ideas to cut out and fold up to put in a jar. After you have had your lesson, choose one of these for the activity. Some of them are activities that might take the day up- so they might need to be done on a Saturday. After you download it, let me know what you think of it. I would love any feedback, and would be willing to add on to it if you have more ideas. Thanks!

Download it {free} by clicking HERE

Family Night Help

2010-01-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

Family Home Evening can be a hard habit to get into. For me, I don't have kids yet, so my husband and I often forget we should still be holding it. I figured that we need to get going on the habit right now so that when we do have kids, it will be easy for us to remember to have it. Here are a few ideas to help out with family night including a family home evening jar, a book with ideas, some links with lesson plans, and more!

FAMILY HOME EVENING JAR:

The idea of this is simply if you don't have time to plan a lesson, choose a piece of paper from the jar that has a song, scriptures, and discussion questions on it that all have to do with each other.

Print out a PDF of the ideas to go into your jar HERE.

FAMOUS FAMILY NIGHTS BOOK BY ANNE BRADSHAW:

The Blurb on the back says "With so much to do and little time to do it in, you may feel overwhelmed when it comes to organizing a perfect family night. You are not alone! With stories that are sure to make you smile, Famous Family Nights will inspire you to see the humor and love in this familiar Monday night tradition. Award-winning screenwriter Anne Bradshaw has compiled an outstanding collection of stories from famous Mormon performers, artists, authors, and more. Each Chapter is filled with significant insights, wonderful suggestions, and often laugh-out-loud moments. Touching and inspiring, the personal experiences in Family Nights are a priceless tool for building strong, faith-centered families despite the many obstacles of modern life.

FAMOUS FAMILY NIGHTS can be purchased on Cedar Fort's Website.

LESSON PLANS:

Building Your Family Through Home Evenings

A Family Home Evening Birthday

Family Home Evening Ideas (TONS)

LDS.ORG Lessons

LDS Family Fun Lessons

The Family Home Evening Spot

Family Home Evening.Com

ACTIVITIES:

Assemble A Family Home Evening Kit

Service Ideas

Family Home Evening Games

BOARDS TO KEEP YOU ORGANIZED:

(All of these were found on Writings On The Wall)

I really hope this helped you out! Lets get a more organized Family Home Evening and continue to make it a habit in our home.

Encouraging Talk at the Dinner Table

2010-01-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

I found this way CUTE idea on HowDoesShe.com. Check them out!

This jar is filled with 30 questions to ask your family at dinner time. This jar is meant to encourage talk at the family dinner table. Some are funny, some are serious, and you are meant to read once a night at dinner time. Check out how to make the tutorial and download the PDF file with the questions HERE.

Here are a few examples of what's written on the papers in the jar:

-If you could change 3 things about yourself, what would they be and why?
-If you could arrange it, what time would I come home from work, then, what would we do together?
-Name a TV or Movie Star you think is lame
-Our eyes are the same size from birth, but what never stops growing? Our Nose and Ears

Have fun with this, you can even come up with your own questions! Enjoy!

Sponsoring A Giveaway

2010-01-22T14:53:00.001-08:00

Hey All! This next week, we are sponsoring a giveaway over at Inspiring Creations

If you want a chance to win one of our cookbooks, check it out!

All the details are posted on her blog- and I would love for you all to check out her AMAZING designs and crafts she does! We are thrilled that Lindsey at Inspiring Creations decided to let us do a giveaway on her blog. She is also advertising our AWESOME Valentines Day Contest! Go enter! :) Again, the site to enter the contest is HERE.

Winter Makeup Tips

2010-01-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

Mom's need time for themselves- and often times don't take time to take care of themselves. There are quick, easy ways to take care of your self without having to spend hours getting ready- which is something you all think you need to do in order to look like you got ready. Secret's OUT- You don't have to spend hours! Here are a few make up tips to help brighten up your face during this gloomy season- Winter. (Well, it's not always gloomy!)

As seasons change, it's a good idea to change your makeup routine, too. Don't let winter steal your sexy. "Bring your sexy back with these 6 simple makeup tips for winter," says celebrity makeup artist, Kim White:

Load up on lotions, creams and potions.
Winter skin needs hydration, so slather on a heavier moisturizer than you may have used in the summer months.

Say yes to SPF.
UV rays are just as damaging in the winter as they are in the summer, so don't ditch your sun protection.

Soft lips are right at your fingertips.
Mix up an at-home lip scrub (one part honey and three parts sugar). It's a low-cost way to zap the chap!

Make sure your "base" is covering all your bases.
Winter skin is plagued by redness, dehydration and chaffing. Find a foundation that addresses all of those skin winter woes.

If blistery winds are making you a cry baby...
Cold, winter winds can make your eyes tear up. Break out your waterproof mascara so that your makeup look stays smudge proof.

Fake a healthy glow regardless of the snow.
Mix a dab of liquid highlighter in with your foundation to give sallow skin a wake-up call.

I got this information at ivillage.com and hope you thought it was useful!

The "Garden of Eden"

2010-01-18T09:01:00.000-08:00

This story was sent in by Mary Ann Duke, from Florida.

"Years ago when I was a very young mother, I was in the bathroom trying to potty train my first child when I heard a knock at the door. I left my little girl on the potty to answer the door. It was the Bishop of our ward and his wife. I invited them in. We talked a few minutes. Then suddenly my daughter decided to vacate the bathroom and came streaking into the living room stark naked. I was absolutely mortified. I apologized profusely and tried to explain her nudity. This kindly, “grandfatherly-type” Bishop smiled and said to my almost two-year-old, “Go get your clothes on. We don’t live in the Garden of Eden.” We all laughed and that remark put us at ease. Now, as a grandmother myself, I wouldn’t be nearly as embarrassed, but as a young mother I was completely so."

As I read this story, I was reminded of myself as a younger child. I danced, and loved to walk around in my leotards and dance clothes. Really, none of them were appropriate to be bouncing around in when company was there, but I ran around in them anyway! It seems like kids are more comfortable running around in almost nothing- and sometimes, nothing! Do you have stories like this? I have seen my nieces run around naked so many times, and every time I see them, they just try to run away and laugh. Can't wait till I have little ones of my own running around like that to embarrass me... :)

Valentines Giveaway from Skin MD

2010-01-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

Skin MD is having a huge Valentines Day giveaway. This would be a fun gift for you to share with your hubby! Check it out!

Vday Giveaway from Skin MD

Kids Birthday Cake Ideas

2010-01-13T14:24:00.000-08:00

I found a bunch of kid's birthday cake ideas on parenting.com today and couldn't pass up sharing with you! They are all so creative and fun! I was looking through the recipes and they don't look too hard. Have you ever made a cool birthday cake that you can share?

How to Find The Right Babysitter

2010-01-12T09:11:00.000-08:00

I used to babysit A LOT growing up. I started babysitting around the age of 8. I had two younger siblings, one of which is handicapped. I guess everyone figured that if I could babysit my handicapped brother, I could be trusted with their kids. I did little babysitting jobs here and there just for 2 hours at a time mostly, and I loved it. When I was in 6th grade, I started babysitting a ton. I used to have a family to babysit every single Friday and Sat. In the summers, I became a nanny for a family every tuesday and thursday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM with 3 kids to watch. They trusted me and I enjoyed it. I have always enjoyed playing with children and babysitting them. That being said, I think it really is hard to find a good babysitter. It's hard to trust your kids with some teenager that you hardly know. So, I thought that might be a good subject to discuss. I want to know what it is you do to find a good babysitter- and how often do you need one? Below is the article I found on ivillage.com. Enjoy!!

"Babysitting relationships are special because parents and sitters often turn out to be friends and confidantes, as well as childcare partners. Any parent knows quality sitters are a hot commodity these days, so it's equally important for your family to be a catch. If you think you've found the perfect match, use these tips to make him or her love you back!

Search Smart
Potential babysitters first learn about you and your family through your initial job postings, so it's crucial to enter the search process with the right mind-set. Many parents are often too distracted or short on time to put much care into job postings or interviews. Remember the importance of first impressions from your dating days? When starting a sitter search, you should similarly put your best foot forward.
In my experience at Sittercity.com, I've seen every kind of posting ‑- from those that read like bad personal ads (Must be funny, intelligent, happy, have a master's degree, and love long walks on the beach) to those that leave out crucial information, like how to reach the family! Remember, the job posting is the potential babysitter's first impression of your family, so it should be clear, concise and include all the important information you want to communicate. Key elements include:

Your name and phone number or email address
Where you live
Your driving preference
Dates and times you need a sitter
Any pets you have
Your kids' ages
Your smoking preference
Your reference and interview requirements

Beyond these basics, it's also a good idea to add a dash of your personality. Here's a good sample posting:
We are looking for a babysitter to work Monday through Friday from 4 to 6pm in Your Town, USA. Must be very organized and have an upbeat attitude, high energy, a good sense of humor and a strong love of pizza. Our three very active boys are ages 6,4 and 1. Please have two excellent references, at least two years' experience working in a paid childcare position, your own transportation to our home, and an excellent driving record. We would also prefer that you are a nonsmoker and speak fluent English. We have two dogs. Our kids have no allergies. This is a summer-only position. Light housework is included, and our rate is $12 an hour. If interested, please contact Brenda at 888-555-5555 between 9 and 5 on weekdays, or email brenda@youremailaddress.com.
Screen Smart
Think of interviewing as a way not only for you to get to know your sitter, but also for her to learn about your family and how you run and organize your household. Before speaking with references ‑- who may be in touch with and report back to the sitter ‑- it's a good idea to plan and have a list of questions prepared. The same applies to the interview ‑- you only have one chance to impress a potential sitter, so use that time wisely. Put yourself in a sitter's shoes: When deciding between potential jobs, it's likely you'd rather work for an organized, friendly family than a scatter-brained one.
For interviews, choose a clean area of your home, offer the sitter something to drink or eat and occupy your kids with naptime or a movie, so they're not constantly intruding during your talk. The sitter will be able to get an idea of your lifestyle, without being exposed to the madness of your family's latest cooking experiment. These subtle touches will let your ideal sitter know that you respect her and her time. Finally, remember that sitter 'dating' goes both ways ‑- if you expect her to come in a nice outfit, take a little time to look presentable, as well. For excellent reference and interview questions, check out Sittercity's list.
Start Smart
A sitter who feels comfortable in your home is a happy sitter ‑- and she's more likely to excel with the right preparation. For the first job, ask your sitter to come an hour early so you can give her house and life tours. A house tour includes all the safety features of your home, including fire extinguishers, child safety locks, alarms and hazardous materials. A life tour includes a look at things like your kids' quirks, favorite toys and annoying habits, like the blanky-that-never-dies or a Harry Potter addiction. For teenage sitters, don't forget to point out the real essentials ‑- the snack drawer, the fridge and the remote controls, if you've okayed TV-watching.
Find ways to personalize your sitter's experience. Put her birthday on your family calendar. Ask about her favorite foods and pick them up when grocery shopping. These steps may not seem like a lot, but they are the difference between ho-hum loyalty and near-fanatical dedication to your family. Who wouldn't want the latter?
Finally, if your sitter excels, find little ways to show your appreciation. Homemade cookies or candy on her birthday, a holiday bonus, an occasional pizza lunch or even just a thoughtful note of thanks are all ways to reward. Consider Valentine's Day and Mother's Day a time to share the love and give a token of appreciation. If you take time to issue small rewards, your sitter will start loving you as much as you love her!"

So my questions to you again are: What did you do to find a trustworthy babysitter? What are you willing to pay your babysitter? (In otherwords, what do you think they deserve?) How much do you use a babysitter?

You Know You're In Trouble When...

2010-01-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

My sister Chelsey posted this a while back. I laughed when I saw it- because lets be real, do 7 year olds really act like this? Apparently! Haha! You can check out her blog at this website.

This is what my sister had to say about this note above:

"This came home with Sarah a few days ago. Uh-oh. Somebody please help. Do kids really write this way now? "Hooked up"? Seriously? She's 7! Mom, she's headed your way."

Granted, she is a darn cute little girl.

Have your kids come home with notes like this?

13 Time Saving Strategies for Moms

2010-01-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to post some things we can to do save us time. Moms have the busiest, and hardest job by FAR- so lets think of ways we can make it easier. This was found on parenting.ivillage.com

"We've all wished for just a little more time in our busy schedules -- time to spend with the kids, time to spend with our friends and a little more time for ourselves. There's still no magic formula in the works to give us 26 or 28 hours in a day.

13 Timesaving Strategies

1. Get Organized. It's amazing how many people spin their wheels each day looking for lost keys, phone numbers, the red shirt or a specific pair of shoes. Spend a weekend getting yourself organized.
2. Find Your Timewasters. Keep track for one week of all the ways you waste time. Do you spend 10 minutes finding your keys? If so, make a key hook by your door, and use it. Do you forget "that one item" when you go to the store? Keep a list on your refrigerator and, each time you empty something, add it to the list.
3. Write Things Down. Always, keep a small notepad on hand. When you think of something you need to do, jot down a reminder. This will save you endless minutes recalling just what you were supposed to do.
4. Get An Engagement Calendar. Get a calendar to write down all your engagements, addresses and phone numbers. By keeping all the information in one place, you won't have to dig for it later.
5. Keep A Notepad By Your Phone. How many times have you written a note on a loose piece of paper, never to see it again? Record those notes on a pad of paper to keep them from walking away.
6. Designate Days. Choose a day or night to do your grocery shopping and errand running each week. Choose a day to clean your home. Stick to your schedule and forget about these responsibilities the rest of the week.
Next page: Even more timesaving tips

7. Do Things In Bulk. When possible, buy groceries and drugstore items in bulk to save a trip to the store. When you prepare one casserole, make one or two extras and freeze them.
8. Teach Your Child. Teach your child how to prepare a drink mix, do laundry, empty the dishwasher and clean his room. An extra set of hands goes a long way.
9. Finish What Your Start. When you start a project, see it through to the end. Leaving many unfinished projects causes anxiety about finishing each, and soon you'll be spinning your wheels.
10. Maximize Your Trips. On your way to work, are there errands you can run so you don't have to do them at night or on the weekends?
11. Review Your Priorities. While certain joy can be found in relaxing over a television show, don't overload. If you are watching three or four hours of television a day, that is time probably better spent doing something else.
12. Make A File System. Buy a cardboard file box and folders. Make folders for bills, insurance, letters, bank statements and anything else you may need at hand.
13. Have A Reading Pile. Keep everything you want to read, including mail and magazines, by your bed and read 10 minutes a night to unwind.

Ok, so I want to hear from you now. What are some time saving strategies for you? How long can we make our list? The longer, the better, because the more time we will save!

Super Hero Kit

2010-01-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

I was browsing blogs today, and found the CUTEST super hero idea ever! It's a really cute post about helping your child pick a super hero name, and it shows links where you can learn to make an easy cape for them. This is a fun, inexpensive idea that can bring many fun times for you and your children! You can even make girl capes. Who says boys are the only super heros?! Check out the post at HowDoesShe.com.

Here is a sneak peak on what you will find:

After you make your capes and super hero names, I want to hear about them! Blog about them, or send them to me to blog about them. I'm excited to see what you can all come up with!

5 Ways To Convince Children To Do Their Chores

2010-01-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

This article was submitted by Jody Hedlund. You can check out her blog by clicking here.

This is a picture of Jody's 5 kids.

5 Ways To Convince Your Children To Do Their Chores

“Time to clean your room!” How many hundreds of times have you said that to your children?
And how many thousands of times have they responded with, “But why, Mom?”

We often fumble for the right words to try to convince our children of the importance of doing their chores and say something like, “Because I told you so. That’s why. Now go do it.”

Unfortunately, after arguing with them, we often end up saying, “Oh forget it. It’s just easier to do it myself.” The reality is that we have to expend a lot of energy to corral our kids, show them how to do the task, and keep them on track until they finally complete the job.

It’s often less stressful, quicker, and takes less nagging for us to just do the job ourselves. Whether picking up toys, making a bed, or putting away laundry, involving the kids seems like more work than it’s worth.

It might seem like more work than it’s worth, but over the years I’ve learned that while it definitely is work to train our children to do chores, it’s more than worth the effort. As the saying goes, “Anything worth having takes hard work.” And the same is true with training our children. The training will cost us in time and effort, but the results are priceless.

Once we make up our minds as parents to put forth the effort, how can we possibly convince our children of the value of doing their chores? What else can we say besides, “Because I told you so”?

Here are five things I’ve told my children to instill in them the value of participating in household work.

1.“Everyone who lives in this house must contribute to the upkeep of the house.” In our house, we make chores a family affair. On Saturday morning, we all—Mom AND Dad included—head off to our assigned chores before we play. After family dinner, we ALL work together to clean up the meal.

2.“If everyone works together, then we’ll finish the work faster and have more time together for fun activities.” If Mom ends up doing all of the work, then she won’t have as much time to play games and enjoy activities with everyone.

3.“Chores help prepare you for adulthood and I want you to be a successful adult.” We talk about the skills necessary to succeed in life and explain to our kids that childhood is their opportunity to practice those skills, and perhaps do even better at them than Mom & Dad.

4.“Learning responsibility means gaining privileges.” When our children demonstrate they are diligent with a new chore on a consistent basis, we give them a new privilege. In other words, if they show adult-like responsibility, then they prove themselves ready for adult-like privileges, like later bed time.

5.“Serve one another over self. S.O.S.” In a “me-first” culture, we must struggle to teach our children the value of self-sacrifice and how to look out for the needs of others. Chores are a way to help our children serve. Even when they didn’t make the mess, we can teach them to S.O.S. as a way to help ease the load of others.

Question For You: What do YOU say or do to convince your children of the importance of work?

©Jody Hedlund, 2010

Back in full force!

2010-01-04T07:48:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year's Eve this season! I know I did!

I wanted to say a quick sorry to our readers for not posting as much lately! I took a break for Christmas, and then I went on vacation to Las Vegas for a few days. I am off vacation now and will be posting in full force!

Thanks for being patient with us as we are trying to get these blogs up and running. We appreciate our readers and hope you all continue to come back and visit our blog.

One question for you: What are your New Year’s Resolutions? Happy New Year!

Kids are so darn CUTE!

2009-12-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Do your kids do funny stuff like this? I was browsing videos on Youtube today and saw this. I thought it was so funny! Enjoy! If you have cute videos of your kids send them to me! I would love for you to share them.

Short Christmas Message

2009-12-24T09:20:00.001-08:00

Can you believe Christmas is tomorrow!? Wow. This year has really flown by. I just wanted to leave you a few words before the celebrations begin. This Christmas I have really been thinking about the true meaning of the season. Often times I forget why we really celebrate it. I get so caught up in the gifts, good food, and fun that I forget to stop to think about Christ. I think the reason why so many people say Christmas is their favorite time of year is because people change. They become nicer and more service oriented around Christmas. We do little acts of service every day and are generally happy the whole season. Why does it have to only be like that around Christmas though? President Thomas S. Monson says: "With the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we will have goodwill and love toward all mankind, not only during this season, but throughout the year as well." Like he says, we don't only have to be that way around Christmas. Make Christ the center of your life this next year and all those things will come easy to you. You will find yourself doing little acts of service without thinking about it. I challenge all of you to take the spirit of Christmas with you all year long, and remember why we celebrate Christmas after all.

Merry Christmas to you all- and happy blogging! We will be taking a break from the blogs until Monday, December 28th.

Happy Holidays!

Patience and Projects

2009-12-22T09:01:00.000-08:00

This was submitted by Adrianne Richards from OH. You can view her blogs here and here
Thanks Adrianne!

Before I had kids I got a job working at Headstart in their homebase program. Each week I made a visit to one of the kids in the class and taught them in their home. To really have the program be effective the parents were expected to be present and to provide, some if not all the materials. The lessons were focused around fine motor, gross motor, math, language, science, etc. I would discuss areas the child could improve on and ask the mother (or father) what things they would like to work on and what activities they would like to do the following week. We played games, made art projects, cooked, played with playdough, went for walks outside, really the sky was the limit. I loved it and I loved watching the children grow and watching the parents become involved. It really taught me that teaching children can be easy and fun.

The 3 boys making a craft

The hardest part of teaching children is the patience required. I have three boys between the ages of 4 1/2-20 months. It can often be very difficult to do projects with them. Some times when we have completed the project it looks like a tornado has hit our kitchen--paint, glitter, glue, and scraps of paper litter my floor.

The 3 boys cooking with Daddy

Overall, I love teaching my children in my home. I love being able to watch them grow and see the curiosity they have. I love that they want to do a project each day (we don't do projects every day even though they want to). When the boys tape their projects to the pantry and ask, "Isn't it so beautiful?" I know that it was worth it.

Two of the boys making paper mache

The 3 boys being silly!

Potty Training Tips

2009-12-21T09:42:00.001-08:00

These tips were written and submitted by Christy Hardman- check out her blog here.

"One of my least favorite parts of parenting is potty training. There is something very insecure in putting your child in something that allows for certain disaster to happen any time and anywhere, and there’s nothing that gets the rage boiling like another puddle—or worse—on your new carpet.

Potty training is not something you can force. If you get frustrated or forceful, the child will naturally reflect your feelings and either decide it’s not worth trying or their feelings will be hurt and their self-esteem will suffer. If you can’t take it, put the diapers back on for a few more days until you’re ready to try again. After five kids, I learned that potty training is as much about Mom and Dad being ready to give it a go, as it is about the child being ready.

We tried everything from awarding potty treats, to new magic princess panties. For my boys we dropped Cheerios into the toilet and told them fire away. Set the timer and every time they hear it beep they get to sit on the potty again. Make it a fun game they want to play. Read them a story on the potty, and if they don’t go, let them off for another ten minutes and try again.

You know your child better than anyone, so before you start, think of what motivates him or her. Are they goal oriented, incredibly independent or are they super stubborn? Do they respond well to charts? Do they like competition? Think about ways you’ve had success getting them to comply with things in the past, and use a similar tactic.

Here are some tips that might help:

Number one: As stupid as it sounds, don’t take it personal when your child makes a mistake. Even if you’re absolutely sure your kid did it just to spite you, they only win if you get upset. Clean it up, pat their head, and both of you pick up and try again.

Number two: Don’t get a puppy while you’re trying to potty train your child.

Number three: Praise goes a long way.

Number four: Do NOT call your boy’s underwear panties in your husband’s hearing. It doesn’t go over well.

Number five: Even when you think you’ve got the potty training thing down, the child will inevitably revert. Don’t despair. It’s just a stage. Every child does this. They get bored with the potty game, and want to keep on with whatever they’re doing. Be persistent, and after a few days, they do better again. Nothing you’ve taught them about going potty in the toilet is wasted. Children hear a lot more of what you tell them than you think. Eventually it sinks in, and they stay dry for a whole day, and then through the night.

Hurray! Success never felt so good."

Thanks Christy for the awesome tips! Anybody have anything to add? What do you do to get your kids potty trained?

Yes, Putting Kids to Bed Does Get Easier....

2009-12-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

So, you all read my earlier post about putting my niece and nephew to bed when we babysat two weeks ago. I kinda had a tough time getting them to go to sleep for me.

Well last night, my husband and I babysat them again. But this time- my brother and his wife left the newborn too! I tell ya, they are the easiest kids to babysit! They were so good for us. We got there around 5:15, and then we fed them some dinner. They ate most of their food, and then asked if they could watch a movie (mind you, the boy is 4 and the girl is 2, and the newborn is 2 months.) So, we popped in the movie "UP" and got comfy on the couch to watch it. Ella (my niece) cuddled right up to my husband with her blanket, and fell right to sleep. Henry (my nephew), sat through the whole movie and laughed- and was content. When it came time for bed at 7:30, they got a little ornery. They didn't want to go to bed yet. Once we got up there though, they went right to sleep!

They have this routine- they brush their teeth, say prayers, read a story, and have their mom sing a lullaby to them. After that, they go right to sleep. So, last night, I got to the lullaby and was nervous that they would cry because I didn't know the song. Instead, I sang a different song, and they sat through it all. They did complain a little- and Henry said "Gillian, I want you to learn mommy's lullaby for next time you put us to sleep." Ok, how cute are these kids?! This time, putting them to bed was SO much easier than last time. Maybe it's because they were in their own beds.

It amazes me that kids that young can get into routines and get right to bed after that. I think when their routine changes, it's a lot harder for them to get to sleep. Routines are good. They are comfortable. Do you have a special routine when you put your kids to bed? What do your kids have to have to go to sleep? A song? A back rub?

On a side note- I still think my niece and nephew are cuter than yours. :) My niece called me this morning (well her mom did...). She told her mom she wanted to call me before they left for California over the holidays. *I'm now a favorite....* And- I will admit it, my husband loved babysitting last night. I quote him "I hate babysitting kids that are so dang cute that it makes us want babies...." hmmm.....

What's your routine?

How the Pee Monster Wet The Bed

2009-12-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

This story was submitted by Adrianne Richards- (My older sister) from Ohio.

This story is written in the point of view of her little boy Isaac.

An original story by Michael Isaac Richards

"One morning I went into mommy's room and got in bed with her. She said to me, "Isaac, why do you have different pajamas on than the ones I put you in for bed?" I said, "I dunno." Mommy wouldn't let it end there. She asked me, "Did you pee your pants?" I said, "No." She said, "Why did you change?" I told her, "My underwear fell in the toilet." Mommy asked me how they got in the toilet and I told her, "They just fell in and so I flushed them down the toilet." Mommy sat up in bed really fast. "You flushed your underwear down the toilet? Are you lying to me?" Well, what was I going to say? "I said, no. I'm not lying. I flushed them down the toilet." Daddy ran to the bathroom and flushed the toilet then reported that it flushed just fine. I just sat there watching this funny scene.

Later, when it was bedtime. Mommy went to put me in bed. She noticed a terrible smell coming from my bed. It smelled mysteriously like pee. I was surprised. Mommy felt my bed and it was wet. How did that happen? She did not seem very happy. There weren't any more sheets for my bed so mommy put down a little blanket while my sheet washed.

Mommy is making me wear diapers to bed at night and during naptime. I don't know why. I am pretty sure a pee monster came in my room and wet my bed so mommy would think I lied to her. That bad monster! She looked for my wet underwear and couldn't find them. I told her the truth, they fell in the toilet and I flushed them."

Haha- Do your kids say funny things to get out of trouble when they know they have wet the bed? I can't wait to have kids and hear the funny things they have to say!

Kid's Say The Darnest Things...

2009-12-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

This post was submitted by Amy Rasmussen from Spanish Fork, UT.

"My son Coleton is hilarious and says the funniest things. He is 3 years old. Here are a few.

This is Coleton. What a cutie!

One day my youngest son Gage was crying Coleton got down on his knees looked at him held out his arms and in the sweetest voice ever said...
"Come here sad baby".

One day Coleton and my oldest son Remington were working on a puzzle on the kitchen table. Gage climbed up and starting throwing pieces coleton looked at him and said... "STOP IT Gage you naughty baby"

One day I walked into the living room and there was Coleton a yellow sharpie marker in his hand and a beautiful masterpiece all over the wall I looked and him and he said...
"TA DAH!!"

When he gets out of the tub he does a dance and says..
"Check out my sexy bum" This may not be so funny when he is older but for now I laugh!

I love this little man!"

This is Amy and her family.

I Would Lay My Life Down For My Child...

2009-12-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

This story is a very personal story from my mother. My little Brother has suffered from Spina Bifida all his life. He has had over 34 Major Surgeries and has lived most of his life in a hospital. He has been brave and happy through his journey in this life- and will continue to be happy because of the way he has chosen to live his life.

"What was supposed to be a routine, simple surgery with a three day stay in the hospital turned into a nightmare of gigantic proportions. Our youngest son, Ammon, had been admitted to have a simple shunt inserted along the mid-portion of his spine to release a pocket of fluid that was putting pressure on the nerves, causing low muscle tone in his upper body. The neurosurgeon assured us that this was simple and we’d be able to go home within three days. Ammon was about 10 months old at the time. He had been born with Spina Bifida and had already had numerous surgeries and medical procedures performed on his tiny body.

Ammon after getting 10 Disks removed from his back and getting rods up his back

(Age 12)

The surgery was performed and all seemed to be going well. On the third day, as I was planning to go home, I noticed that Ammon seemed more lethargic than usual. He began to make little whining noises and I could tell he wasn’t feeling very well. I asked the nurse to come in and look at him to see what she thought. She decided to call the doctor to make sure he came up as soon as he could.

Ammon in the PICU after getting his Trach Removed-

(Age 14)

Earlier that day, and in the previous two days spent in the same room with another patient and her mother, I had gotten to know the mother quite well. The patient, a 12 year old girl, had multiple disabilities. She was blind and deaf and could do nothing for herself. They were from Montana. The young girl had had some comprehensive work on her teeth while at the hospital. The mother and I began to talk about our children and our hopes for their futures. We talked about our beliefs. The mother knew many Mormons and was somewhat interested in our beliefs, but she didn’t really have a religion that she called her own. She had five other younger children at home. Her husband was disabled because of an earlier motorcycle accident. He was able to do the chores necessary to take care of the children as long as he read and followed the list this woman left for him. My heart went out to her! She was in serious need of help and support. I began to wish she didn’t live so very far away. We began to talk about death because we both knew it would be inevitable for us to face with our children. I told her I wasn’t really afraid of death, but was a little afraid of the process of dying and the pain associated with it. I told her that the reason I wasn’t afraid of death was because of the deep-felt belief that I would see my little boy again and would be re-united with him after our mortal bodies had died. This young mother expressed her profound fear of death. I tried my best to help her talk it through and feel a little better about it.

Ammon- really happy to be alive.

(Age 12)

The doctor came in the room and examined Ammon. He said we may not be going home that day because he wanted to watch Ammon, but that if things looked fine, we might be able to leave that afternoon. Very shortly after he left the room, Ammon became more and more agitated. He was never a screamer. He was like a tiny wounded animal that would crawl away to be left alone and whimper to himself. But I knew Ammon and I knew he was not feeling well at all. I stood by the side of his crib and began to softly sing to him, hoping that would help. I stroked his arms and talked quietly to him. Soon he was having difficulty breathing. I spoke his name to get him to look at me and could tell that he couldn’t seem to see me. His breathing was getting more and more shallow. I hit the nurse’s button and when she came in I cried, “Something is very, very wrong here. I don’t think he can hear or see me!” She took one look at him and then shot out of the room. Instantly I heard the loudspeaker say, “Code blue, room 4138. Code blue, room 4138.” By this time, I was pleading with Ammon to hang on until the doctor could get there. And I began to plead with my Father in Heaven. I said this prayer, “Heavenly Father, let me trade places with this tiny child! Give me his pain. His life has just begun. I have lived a good life and would gladly give him my life. Please! Please! Keep him here with me, but let me take his pain!” Tears were running down my cheeks because I knew my baby was very near death. Suddenly, a powerful thought came into my mind that said, “You cannot give your life for your son, but I did.” I was stunned because I got a clearer view of the sacrifice of Christ in my behalf. He could give his life for me and He did so that I could live.
A swarm of nurses and residents descended on the room. A few nurses moved our little roommate out of the room, ushering a very, very frightened mother out with her. Here was my test – I had just told this woman that I didn’t fear death. But I was terrified that I would lose this precious child! Suddenly, words were actuality and I was taking back my words in my mind. I was more frightened than I can ever remember. More nurses started pushing me out of the room. I begged to stay in to be near him so I could comfort him with my voice but they would not let me stay. A neurosurgeon resident, whom we truly loved, came streaking in the room. I thought it was so cruel that I could not be there to comfort this child! The minute I was out by the nurse’s station, at least four social workers were surrounding me, like a group of angels protecting me, softening the blows and directing me as to what to do next. They suggested I call my husband and family and see if he could get up there as quickly as possible. I couldn’t remember my phone number. One of them looked it up and dialed the number for me. As I was talking to Jim, the doctor and nurses whisked Ammon passed me to take him to the Intensive Care Unit. The social workers were ready to accompany me to the new room that was to be Ammon’s for the next 5 months as he struggled to live, having eight surgeries in the next six weeks. I looked over at the mother of our roommate and saw the horror on her face. I waved at her and said I’d try to get back to her.

Ammon After he got his Trach.

(Age 13)

I did make my way back to her to assure her that Ammon would live and that she should never lose hope in a loving Savior.

Ammon with his Pediatrician- His doctor for his whole life thus far- who has saved his life many times.

(Age 13)

Why did this trial come to me? I believe it was to enable me to more clearly appreciate Christ’s sacrifice, but even greater, the sacrifice it would have been for our Father in Heaven to turn His back on His son at the very end to let happen what must happen. As a parent, there can be no greater pain than to see a child suffer. I knew at that moment that I truly would have laid down my life for Ammon had I been able. No greater blessing can came to an individual than to have that realization that Christ loves each of us enough to have suffered and died so that we could go back to our parents in Heaven if we so desired."

Having read this story- It shows that there is no greater love than the love a mother has for their children. Yea, maybe I haven't been in a life threatening situation where my mom has told God that she would take my place if he would only save me- but I know if I was in that situation, she would. Honestly, I can say I would do the same thing if I had a child. Would you? Have you ever had a situation where you wished you had the cold or the ear ache or the sore throat or the flu so that your child didn't have to suffer? What are your thoughts?

Anyway, you can check out Ammon's personal blog. They keep a blog for him to keep others updated on his life. He does post sometimes by himself, and they are usually sweet short posts. Check it out for yourself: www.ammonsjourney.blogspot.com

Dreams and the Scent of Face Cream

2009-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

"Some people are dreamers. They have dreams to comfort or dreams to warn them of things that may come. Through a dream many come to know the gender of their next baby--or that there even is a next baby! I believe dreams come from God. Some believe they come from the devil. Whatever you believe doesn't dampen the reality of what the dreamer comes to know through their midnight miracle. Maybe you're a dreamer. I'm not.
Well, most of the time I'm not. I did have one dream and it was about my mom...

For an extended period of time, I lived in the small country of Taiwan. The conditions which brought me there didn't necessitate returning home to visit or even calling home more than a few times a year. I learned basic Chinese and felt that the people of Taiwan were gracious and patient as I tried to communicate with them. They were also very kind and accomodating. I even got an occasional, "Herro, I ruvva you" from over the shoulder of a daring Chinese school boy zipping by on his bicycle. This was usually followed by that same Chinese youth crashing into another bicyclist or motor scooter (traffic's insane in Taiwan) and running, blushing and injured, until safely out of sight. Though the people were amiable and I was happy to be there I remember one night feeling terribly weary of fried rice, frustrated to be speaking and listening to a language I could barely--if at all--understand and, well, awfully homesick.

I couldn't sleep. I tried to muffle my crying that night since none of the friends surrounding me seemed to be struggling as I was. It was a long, lonely and eternal night. Just as the sun was creaping it's head in between the the tall gray buildings that all looked alike in their dismal foreignness, I must have fallen asleep...

I walked into my living room barefoot. The thick warmth of carpet was the first thing that startled me; I was used to cold, hard tile everywhere. Next, I walked to the sliding glass door and looked out at the life surrounding me. Gone was the city of concrete I had been so strangled by. Clean air and green freshness surrounded me. Rays from the undiluted sun sprinkled across my face and I breathed in their welcoming warmth. Then I heard the sound that my mind had almost forgotten but my soul could never. It was mother.

I walked quietly toward her voice, unsure of what conversation I may be interuppting. Then there she was, as I'd seen her many times, beside her bed with her head bowed gently in prayer. Her porcelin hands were folded humbly. From where I stood, I could smell her face cream and thought of when I'd gazed adoringly at her while she prepared for the day. She was wearing her favorite sweater; had I ever told her how lovely it was on her? She was so intent on what she was saying that even she, with her mother's sixth sense, didn't notice I was there. I wanted to know what it was that mother was worrying about. What person needed help? What personal tragedy might she be facing? I listened closely. She spoke so quietly, I could barely make out the words. She was praying that wherever I was, whatever I was doing that day, I would be happy and safe. I sat in her doorway, looking at the flowery bedspread, the lacy curtains and the same old bottle of perfume on her dressing table. I recorded her prayer in my mind--with all the other little things that made her mother--and knew it was time to go. I crept back down the hall and my eyelids fluttered open. Mother and home were with me no more.

Though Taiwan and fried rice remained the same, something changed in me after that dream. My heart was warmer somehow and my joy deeper. I've always thought it was telling that the one dream I needed to help me in my moment of darkness was one of mother. Thank you, mother."

This story was submitted by Heather Boden from Waukesha, WI. Thanks for sharing!

If Found, Please Return to Owner

2009-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

"If Found, Please Return to Owner"

(Picture of David with Missionaries while on Choir Tour in CA.)

"Yesterday I heard on the radio that a state senator was proposing a law to make it a crime if an owner of a dog kept the dog tied up longer than 10 hours. He feels that it would be negligent and abusive to keep a dog locked up that long. That report made me reflect upon an experience we had with one of our children and the struggle we had to keep him safe.
We faced a pretty big dilemma when our 8th child refused to stay put – at age two. This child was curious beyond belief. He was very tall for his age and always seemed older than he really was. By the time he was two he could unlock any door or window. He would pull chairs up to the doors and climb up where he could reach the locks. It didn’t seem to matter what kind of lock we used – he figured out how to unlock them. We moved to a new area of town shortly after he turned 2 years old. It was not a good area of town, either. We had 8 children living at home at the time, our oldest being 17 years of age. One evening my husband and I went out to dinner with relatives that were visiting from out of town, leaving our 17 year old in charge.
When we arrived home, we found pandemonium reigning! The kids were scattered everywhere in the neighborhood searching for this little boy. He had wandered off. The kids that were playing in the back yard thought he had gone into the house with those that were watching TV. They had been looking for him for about 45 minutes before we arrived home. I freaked out and started to cry. I was uncontrollable! My husband was smart. He immediately called the police to report a missing child. They asked him to give him a description which he did. They then reported that a child by that description had been picked up near the freeway and they had him in custody at the Children’s Shelter in Sacramento, CA. We could come down there and see if this was our son.
We were appalled but hope sprang forth and propelled us toward the car. As soon as we arrived at the center, we saw him playing with some adults. He was dressed in different clothes. He had on different shoes. He was having the time of his life. I ran towards him with my arms out wide, knowing that he would acknowledge me as his mom. Instead, he turned away from me and said, “Go away.” It took us a little convincing to get him to acknowledge us. He liked being there because they gave him new clothes and new shoes – why? Well, because when they found him, he was standing at the corner of a shopping area with only a dirty diaper on and he was hopping on his feet saying, “Hot! Hot!” They figured they had an abandoned boy. He had wanted to go to dinner with Mom and Dad and so he tried to follow us and find us.
Well, later that evening, we had a visit from the police to verify our story, to observe our thousands of kids to see if they were living in squalor or to see if we were abusive or negligent parents. To say this was embarrassing is to put it mildly. We told the police that we had a very difficult time keeping this child locked in anywhere and asked what they would suggest. We ended up getting some hospital identification bracelets. We put one on his arm. It said, “If found, please return to…..” with address and phone #. Just like a dog!!
We were so uncomfortable living in that area that shortly thereafter and, partly due to this mishap, we moved to a place we considered to be safer. The first thing we did was to take our little boy on a walk around the circle and knock on every door and introduce him to the families. We said, “This is our child. His name should be Houdini but it is David. If you ever see him wandering away from our house, would you be willing to help us and call us or get him back to our house? If you see him tied up to a porch post, please don’t think it is because we are abusive – we are just trying to figure out ways to keep him safe. Thank you.” And then we went to the next house.
We purchased a child’s harness, much to my horror. We had to turn it backward because he could unzip it and get out of it. When he went outside to play in the backyard, we attached him to the clothesline so he could only go as far as the harness and clothesline would allow him to go. We didn’t dare tie him up in the front yard because we didn’t want another visit from authorities checking on our background and living conditions.
David finally grew up. He did not stop wandering. He would stay over at a friend’s house on any given school night when he was in high school and wouldn’t tell me where he was. I would find myself calling various moms asking if David was there. He would sneak out his bedroom window (he doesn’t know I know he did that) after we had gone to bed. He didn’t like being in one place. He had to be surrounded by buddies; he had to be busy; he had to be entertained. Grounding was about the only way we knew to get him to slow down, be safe, be respectful, and be home once in a while. He was a good boy – but he didn’t like to be home. As a mother I wasn’t sure how to feel about this. I mostly felt like we had failed him in some way because we definitely weren’t fun. We were old parents and we were tired. I used to say, “I love being a parent, but I’m sure tired of parenting.
The day we dropped him off at the MTC to go on his LDS church mission, I felt euphoric because I actually KNEW where he was every night for the next two months. I knew he would be safe and he would be doing good things with his life. Some kids need to be independent – some parents need to lock them up."

This story was from Christina Clark -(My mom). You can read the blog she participates in here.

Have any of your kids ever ran away? I know I used to run away from my mom! You can ask her about that one too!